BAHAMAS REACTION TO AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000235 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/A TOM REOTT E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019 TAGS: PREL AF NATO PK MARR MOPS BF SUBJECT: BAHAMAS REACTION TO AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN STRATEGIC REVIEW REF: A. STATE 29482 ¶B. 08 NASSAU 629 Classified By: Charge Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Embassy delivered the "White Paper of the Interagency Policy Group's Report on U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan" accompanied by reftel points to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Under Secretary, International Division, Marilyn Zonicle, April 1. Ms. Zonicle asked whether this represented a "back door" change in policy toward Pakistan. She also sought clarification on the USG approachto Al Qaeda as a worldwide, dispersed and decentrlized organization. Reftel points, focusing on te Al Qaeda threat from sanctuaries in Afghanista and Pakistan, and suggesed the "White Paper" aswered her questions in full. ¶2. (C) Ms. Zonice welcomed and expressed appreciation for the shaing of information despite the GCOB's lack of reources or capability to address the particular issues. She said the spirit of partnership was an antidote to what she termed the "danger of neglect" of the Caribbean sub-region in U.S. policy. ¶3. (C/NF) COMMENT: Ms. Zonicle's interest was uncharacteristic and somewhat surprising, given the MFA's usually bland reactions to global U.S. concerns which do not affect far more limited Bahamian priorities (reftel B). ZUNIGA-BROWN