EU HEAD OF DELEGATION DISCUSSES UPCOMING PRAGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 000226


KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL PTER USAID
SUBJECT: EU HEAD OF DELEGATION DISCUSSES UPCOMING PRAGUE
MINISTERIAL TROIKA

Classified By: Ambassador William Wood for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: European Union (EU) Head of Delegation
Ettore Sequi told the Ambassador during a January 26th
meeting that a strong message needed to be sent supporting
elections in Afghanistan, and any interim government (or
continuation of President Karzai's term) until fall
elections. He intended to urge Afghan Foreign Minister
Spanta to request European Community (EC) elections
observers, and the lifting of trade barriers/tariffs on
products from Afghanistan and Western Pakistan as a way of
revitalizing those economies.

UPCOMING MINISTERIAL TROIKA
--------------


2. (C) Sequi said he would be attending the Prague
Ministerial troika on January 28th, and that he wanted to
discuss messages that should be conveyed to the Afghans and
the European Union. Sequi added that the EU High
Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Solana
would not be attending the troika and had asked Sequi to
represent him. Other attendees would include FM Spanta and
the Czech Foreign Minister.


3. (C) Sequi noted that despite international support for
September elections, some had hinted that an alternative to
elections (one that would please Parliamentarian opponents
such as Deputy Speaker Qanooni) such as a Loya Jirga should
be found to resolve the elections date dispute. Sequi added
that President Karzai had told him that some Afghans believed
there was a difference of opinion between the U.S. and UK on
the efficacy of elections. Sequi asserted the international
community should send a strong, unified message supporting
elections.


4. (C) Sequi intended to urge Spanta to request EC
elections observers to promote a credible election process.
Sequi would also urge EU members to provide whatever support
was necessary to ensure a successful election. The Italians
were already considering sending carabinieri teams, and
others in Brussels were considering similar support.


5. (C) Sequi wondered if Russia, with whom Speaker Qanooni
apparently maintained close ties, could influence Qanooni to
ease his opposition to a fall election date. Amb. Wood
replied that the U.S. had informed Moscow that it would be
happy for Russia to play a positive role in Afghanistan's
future. However, Karzai had to be careful in cozying up to
Russia, as many Afghans still equated Russia with the former
Soviet Union.


6. (C) The Ambassador expressed strong support for
elections in 2009, the later the better. Qanooni, the
Ambassador added, did not seem to be seeking compromise, but
rather confrontation with the Karzai government. Sequi noted
that UNAMA's Deputy Chief of Mission Chris Alexander had met
with several parliamentary leaders over the previous week,
and learned that they were open to resolving the dispute and
settling on a fall election date. Qanooni was not expected
get sufficient support to force a May election, and would
likely settle for the fall timing.


7. (C) The Ambassador told Sequi that one way to promote a
regional approach to supporting Afghanistan would be for
countries that traded with Afghanistan and Western Pakistan
to lower or abolish import tariffs on products from those
regions. Such actions by the international community could
do much to promote growth and improve local economies. He
added that the U.S. would not object to Spanta promoting that
idea.


WOOD