LONDON CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON KARZAI INAUGURATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 003977 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: LONDON CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON KARZAI INAUGURATION AGENDA Classified By: CDDEA Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Briefing ambassadors gathered at UNAMA on December 9, British Ambassador Mark Sedwill said that the agenda for the London conference has been broadened beyond security, as originally planned, and will instead focus on all of the most important items President Karzai outlined in his inaugural address. Sedwill said the UK has drawn up a paper on its goals for the conference, which he will present to Foreign Minister Spanta following a meeting of Afghan Finance, Defense, Interior, and Foreign ministers in the next day or two. ¶2. (C) Sedwill stressed that the conference organizers are committed to working closely with their Afghan partners and would like to give this conference "as much of an Afghan face as possible." To that end, he would not share the specific plans for the conference with the international community until Spanta has been briefed and has given the Afghan government's preliminary approval. The conference will begin with addresses by Prime Minister Brown, President Karzai, and possibly General McChrystal and any other heads of state in attendance. Afghan ministers will follow as keynote speakers, leading discussions on specific issues drawn from Karzai's Inauguration speech. The conference will be quite brief, Sedwill said, as it will serve as a precursor to the Kabul Conference planned for spring 2010. The time allotted for actual substantive meetings in London will only be about half a day, he stated. Key note speakers on key sessions would be followed by "informal discussions." Ambassador Wayne questioned how the "informal" discussions would be possible give the short time-frame preferred. Septel reports Wayne's call with Finance Minister Zakhilwal on the London Conference. RICCIARDONE