Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL873
2009-04-06 14:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:
NO PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTING INDIAN WHEAT DONATION TO
how-toVZCZCXRO0559 PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG DE RUEHBUL #0873 0961401 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 061401Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY KABUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8285 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0776 RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS KABUL 000873
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ANE
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT
COMMERCE FOR DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD ELTN PREL AF PK ID
SUBJECT: NO PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTING INDIAN WHEAT DONATION TO
AFGHANISTAN
REF: A) State 22965 B) Kabul 505
UNCLAS KABUL 000873
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ANE
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT
COMMERCE FOR DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD ELTN PREL AF PK ID
SUBJECT: NO PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTING INDIAN WHEAT DONATION TO
AFGHANISTAN
REF: A) State 22965 B) Kabul 505
1. (SBU) EconCouns presented ref A demarche to Commerce Minister
Shahrani, Deputy Commerce Minister Farhady, and Agriculture Minister
Rahimi. The consistent reply from all three was that the Afghans
are making no progress is securing Pakistani cooperation on
transshipping the Indian wheat donation through Pakistan. As Rahimi
put it, "When we solve one problem, they [the GOP] raise another."
They said the GIRoA has essentially given up on persuading the GOP
to cooperate and is now focused on transshipment through Iran.
2. (SBU) We urged Afghan officials to consider the option of milling
the wheat into flour, to address Pakistani phyto-sanitary concerns.
The GIRoA would prefer to receive the Indian donation as grain, not
flour, because they want to build up reserves, and grain can be
stored longer than flour. While officials agreed to consider our
suggestion, they do not see stated Pakistani health concerns as the
main issue.
3. (SBU) Afghan officials said they are considering shipping at
least 80,000 tons of the donation through the Iranian port of
Chabahar. Positive aspects of this option are that the Indian and
Iranian governments support it, and Afghan trucks would be allowed
to transport the grain from Chabahar. Negative aspects are that it
costs more (estimated $20 million vs $12 million for transshipment
through Pakistan; GIRoA must absorb the transport cost whatever the
route),takes longer than the Pakistan option should take, and
leaves the grain in western Afghanistan, a long and insecure haul
from eastern population centers. Afghan officials admitted to all
these drawbacks but said the Iran option is now the only feasible
one available.
RICCIARDONE
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ANE
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT
COMMERCE FOR DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD ELTN PREL AF PK ID
SUBJECT: NO PROGRESS ON TRANSPORTING INDIAN WHEAT DONATION TO
AFGHANISTAN
REF: A) State 22965 B) Kabul 505
1. (SBU) EconCouns presented ref A demarche to Commerce Minister
Shahrani, Deputy Commerce Minister Farhady, and Agriculture Minister
Rahimi. The consistent reply from all three was that the Afghans
are making no progress is securing Pakistani cooperation on
transshipping the Indian wheat donation through Pakistan. As Rahimi
put it, "When we solve one problem, they [the GOP] raise another."
They said the GIRoA has essentially given up on persuading the GOP
to cooperate and is now focused on transshipment through Iran.
2. (SBU) We urged Afghan officials to consider the option of milling
the wheat into flour, to address Pakistani phyto-sanitary concerns.
The GIRoA would prefer to receive the Indian donation as grain, not
flour, because they want to build up reserves, and grain can be
stored longer than flour. While officials agreed to consider our
suggestion, they do not see stated Pakistani health concerns as the
main issue.
3. (SBU) Afghan officials said they are considering shipping at
least 80,000 tons of the donation through the Iranian port of
Chabahar. Positive aspects of this option are that the Indian and
Iranian governments support it, and Afghan trucks would be allowed
to transport the grain from Chabahar. Negative aspects are that it
costs more (estimated $20 million vs $12 million for transshipment
through Pakistan; GIRoA must absorb the transport cost whatever the
route),takes longer than the Pakistan option should take, and
leaves the grain in western Afghanistan, a long and insecure haul
from eastern population centers. Afghan officials admitted to all
these drawbacks but said the Iran option is now the only feasible
one available.
RICCIARDONE