OPTIONS FOR FACILITATING A KOREAN PROVINCIAL

S E C R E T KABUL 003634

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///// PLS CANCEL KABUL 3634 CORRECTED COPY IS KABUL 3635 /////
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SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM, EAP/K
STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA
USFOR-A FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2019
TAGS: KDEM MOPS PGOV PREL KS AF
SUBJECT: OPTIONS FOR FACILITATING A KOREAN PROVINCIAL
RECONSTRUCTION TEAM IN AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. STATE 106840

B. SEOUL 1735

C. KABUL 3436

D. STATE 115253

E. SEOUL 1789

Classified By: Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)


1. (U) This is a joint Embassy Kabul-ISAF message.

2. (S/REL ISAF) Summary: To facilitate the Republic of
Korea,s (ROK) efforts to follow through on its offer to
stand up a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in
Afghanistan, Embassy Kabul and the International Security
Assistance FORCE for Afghanistan (ISAF) will assist the ROK
survey team expected in Afghanistan November 12-17. We
intend to present the survey team with two options. If the
ROK is prepared to staff a PRT with an adequate level of its
own security forces, we will help the Koreans find a suitable
site in Parwan Province or in another province. If the
Koreans will not have adequate independent FORCE protection
capability, we plan to recommend that they consider locating
additional development staff and medical personnel on Bagram
Air Field (BAF) itself with the clear understanding that U.S.
Forces would not be able to provide FORCE protection outside
the base on a predictable or regular basis. End summary.

3. (S/REL ISAF) Septel reports our meetings with Korean
Ambassador Song Woong Yeob and DCM Park Young-kyu, and the
ROK,s focus on Parwan Province as the location for their
PRT. We will assist the Korean survey delegation, headed by
ROK SRAP and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee
Yong-joon, which plans to visit BAF and Parwan Province on
November 15-16. The Korean Embassy has arranged a meeting
for the party with Parwan Governor Abdul Basir Salangi. The
ROK delegation has also requested to visit Bamyan Province
and the New Zealand-run PRT there on November 16.

4. (S/REL ISAF) It will be very important for us to
coordinate ROK plans in Parwan Province with steps already
underway to open a new U.S. PRT in Parwan in February 2010.
This would be the first time that two nations have
independent PRTs in the same province, presenting unique )
but manageable ) challenges in coordinating our respective
dealings with the Parwan provincial officials, starting with
the governor. The strategic importance of BAF to the ISAF
mission in Afghanistan requires also that our security
concerns in surrounding Parwan Province be fully addressed.

5. (S/REL ISAF) If the Koreans are truly committed to
establishing an independent PRT that is self-sufficient,
including an adequate security FORCE along with intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, we welcome the
opportunity to assist them in finding a suitable location in
Parwan Province. Although we recognize the strong Korean
interest in Parwan, we will hold open the option of assisting
the Koreans find a suitable location in another province,
should they be available to such a scenario.


6. (S/REL ISAF) If the Koreans for any reason cannot commit
to a truly self-sufficient PRT, as Foreign Minister Yu,s
November 6 letter to NATO SYG Rasmussen pledges they will
(Ref E),we would alternatively recommend they consider
locating on BAF itself, with the clear understanding that it
is unlikely that U.S. Forces would be able to provide robust
force protection outside the base on a predictable or regular
basis. We would, however, welcome and likely be able to
assist training and development activities highlighted in ref
A, including police and vocational training; agricultural
projects; infrastructure projects, including road
construction; and expansion of the number of Korean doctors
and nurses at Korean hospital at BAF.
EIKENBERRY