NAWAZ SHARIF TELLS CODEL KYL TO TALK TO ALL PARTIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LAHORE 000076 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/17/2019 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV PK SUBJECT: NAWAZ SHARIF TELLS CODEL KYL TO TALK TO ALL PARTIES CLASSIFIED BY: Matthew Lowe, Acting Principal Officer, Consulate Lahore, U.S. Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) 1.(C) Summary: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told a congressional delegation led by Senator Jon Kyl April 8 that political parties in Pakistan must fight together against terrorism, which has now reached Punjab. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of education in countering extremism, and former Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz stressed that the U.S. must cooperate with Pakistan. In response to criticism regarding the Bush Administration's treatment of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N),Senator Kyl underscored that his delegation's visit to Lahore represents a new, bipartisan start to U.S. engagement with Pakistan. End Summary. - - - Parties United Against Terrorism - - - ¶2. (C) In an April 8 meeting in Raiwind with Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Senator Jon Kyl emphasized that his bipartisan delegation represented both Democratic and Republican support for the Obama Administration's new strategy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nawaz noted that no single party can deal with the significant problems, primarily terrorism, that Pakistan faces. In the past, he quipped, "rather than fighting terrorism, we were fighting democracy." After the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhry, Nawaz said, he hopes President Zardari would now fulfill the obligations of the Charter of Democracy (COD),but he admitted that he placed more trust in Prime Minister Gilani than Zardari. He called for the political parties to put aside their differences and fight terrorism by convening politicians, security forces, military and civil society leaders in a conference. Without such unity, Nawaz commented, each part of government has gone in different directions. - - - Shahbaz: "No Other Option" But to Win - - - ¶3. (C) Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif contended that the terrorist threat in Pakistan goes back to the war in Afghanistan, which created a "gunrunning culture" that challenged political legitimacy, particularly after Musharraf took over. He lamented that terrorism has made its way to Punjab, as shown by the March attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team and police training center. Shahbaz believed that education can help "dry the pipeline" that provides the foot soldiers for extremist groups. He detailed a provincial program to establish "Danish" (wisdom) schools in Punjab, which would provide a modern education that can compete with the radical madrassas. ¶4. (C) Shahbaz observed that the global community has "keenly watched" the Pakistan government enter into a peace deal with the Taliban in Swat. He explained that the Taliban in Afghanistan succeeded in making the lawless area weapons-free and crime-free. The lack of a functioning judicial system and "galloping corruption" could prompt Shari'a to spread to other areas, he warned. - - - The Three D's: Defense, Diplomacy and Development - - - ¶5. (C) Former Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz agreed that diplomatic, developmental and military engagement must occur simultaneously to deal with the extremist threat. He suggested that the U.S. differentiate "hard core" ideological Taliban from those who only join at the local level for money. He advised that a National Assembly resolution laying out a national counterterrorist plan would provide a "homegrown strategy" that could define the war as Pakistan's war. Aziz also urged that the U.S. address its issues with Pakistan's intelligence agencies behind closed doors, and avoid airing complaints in the media, which has generated distrust of the U.S. and weakened the institution at a critical time. Senator Kyl acknowledged the role that intelligence plays on fighting al Qaeda and Pakistan's continual support of the U.S. in fighting terrorism, claiming that "no country has assisted the U.S. more than Pakistan." The delegation is here, he reassured, to come to a common understanding about these issues and find a way to move forward. - - - U.S. Support for Long March and PML-N Lacking LAHORE 00000076 002 OF 003 - - - ¶6. (C) Identifying herself as an attorney, Representative Jane Harman praised the long march as a meaningful expression of Pakistan's dedication to the "rule of law." Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan commented that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provided the "street power" for the long march and, while he appreciated the Representative's interest in judicial reform, he criticized the U.S. absence during the push for the restoration of the Chief Justice. Nisar Ali Khan recalled that the PML-N has always supported a strong relationship between Pakistan and the U.S., but complained that the Bush Administration had played favorites by supporting the Musharraf regime. Pakistan and the U.S. need to move forward with a common agenda to fight the war against extremism, he underlined. The collateral damage from missile strikes has also built distrust of the U.S., he reported. He urged that the U.S. support the passage of a resolution against extremism supported by the people. Pakistanis themselves, he stated, can resolve and fight the war on their terms but must retain credibility in the eyes of the public. ¶7. (C) Senator Kyl stated that, while the U.S. considers its "footprint" in Pakistan before making any move, the U.S. track record in the region justifies Pakistan's skepticism about U.S. commitment. Still, he clarified, the two countries have strong ties that will allow the relationship to strengthen. Representative Harman underscored that given the cross-border economic and security linkages "it is impossible to withdraw from Pakistan at this point." She cited President Obama's April 7 speech in Turkey, where he declared that the U.S. must learn from and engage fully with the Muslim world. - - - Pakistan Government Not Responsible for A.Q. Khan's Actions - - - 8.(C) Representative Harman raised the issue of proliferation and the safety of nuclear technology in Pakistan. Nawaz responded that Pakistan has put in place sufficient command-and-control systems in consultation with the U.S. Nawaz contended that the "state cannot be held responsible for the actions of individuals." - - - Bush Was Musharraf's Best Friend - - - ¶9. (C) Nawaz groused again that Bush had become "best friends" with Musharraf. Nisar Ali Khan added that Bush had at one point publicly announced that Nawaz had grown close to militant groups. Senator Kyl insisted that his visit to Raiwind illustrated a renewed effort to engage Nawaz. "I don't find it productive to rehash what Bush has said. We need to have a common set of values that transcend administrations," he urged. He pointed out that his delegation will only travel to Pakistan, not India, because Pakistan holds the key to stability in the region. Shahbaz reported that he had a productive meeting the day before with Ambassador Holbrooke, who had pledged the support of the U.S. Government in the Pakistani fight against militants. - - - Afghan and Mexican Borders Have Different Problems - - - ¶10. (C) Senator Jeff Sessions observed that an unstable Afghanistan poses a threat to the region and asked that Pakistan do more to secure its borders. Although he noted that the security agencies would have a better response, Nisar Ali Khan noted that 1600 Pakistanis have been killed trying to protect the country. He assured the delegation that he too wants a Pakistan at peace with itself and its neighbors. Khan compared the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to the U.S.-Mexican border, which the U.S. has also had difficulty securing. Senator Kyl remarked that securing the Mexico border is an issue of desire, not ability. ¶11. (C) Shahbaz emphasized the importance of bringing Pakistan and India together and the critical role that India plays in the region. Senator Kyl concluded that the discussion would help inform Congressional deliberations to move forward on the Pakistan strategy. LAHORE 00000076 003 OF 003 ¶12. (C) Meeting Participants: Pakistan -- Nawaz Sharif, Former Prime Minister -- Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister -- Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly -- Sartaj Aziz, former Finance Minister -- Ambassador (ret) Latif Fatimi U.S. -- Senator John Kyl -- Senator Jeff Sessions -- Representative Jane Harman -- Representative John Kline -- Representative Chris Carney -- Tim Morrison, National Security Policy Advisor to Senator Kyl -- Jennifer Stewart, National Security Advisor to Rep. Boehner -- Sandy Luff, Military Legislative Advisor to Senator Sessions -- CDR C.J. Cassidy, Navy Senate Liaison -- Lt. Natalie Schultz, Navy Senate Liaison -- Deputy Chief of Mission Jerry Feierstein -- Acting Principal Officer Matthew Lowe -- Political Officer Stephanie Hackenburg, notetaker LOWE