FURTHER PROGRESS ON DUBAI PROCESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000622 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019 TAGS: PREL EAID SNAR ETRD PK AF CA SUBJECT: FURTHER PROGRESS ON DUBAI PROCESS REF: A. OTTAWA 267 ¶B. 08 OTTAWA 1122 ¶C. 08 OTTAWA 704 OTTAWA 00000622 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: According to Canadian officials, there was some -- but not much -- "concrete progress" at the most recent Dubai Process meetings, notably in that Afghanistan and Pakistan had agreed to call on international experts to assist them in drafting action plans, MOUs, and assessments for several areas related to counter-narcotics and the movement of people. Canada will provide between C$400,000 and C$ 1 million to fund two biometrics studies for border crossings. Greater cross border cooperation will depend on increased funding and pressure on the two governments from G-8 partners. Canada believes that increased inter-session planning and engagement by Afghan and Pakistan senior officials with each other will be increasingly necessary for the Dubai Process to make real advances now that "all the low hanging fruit has already been picked." Without G-8 and especially U.S. pressure, neither side is likely to improve its approach to meeting preparation. End summary. ¶2. (C) At the most recent Dubai Process meetings, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to call on international experts to assist them in drafting action plans, MOUs, and assessments for several areas related to counter-narcotics and the movement of people, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Afghanistan Task Force Director for Bilateral Relations and Operations Glen R. Hodgins. Hodgins briefed diplomats from G-8 and ISAF member nations on August 6 regarding the meetings that Canada had convened with Afghan and Pakistani senior officials in Murree, Pakistan July 23-24, which observer-experts from the International Organization on Migration (IOM),United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC),United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA),and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees also attended. These meetings were a follow-up to the March 27-29 meetings in Dubai also chaired by Canada (ref a). ¶3. (C) The Afghan and Pakistani government representatives identified the following actions to follow up upon their commitments made in Dubai in March. In the Working Group on the Movement of People, senior officials from the two 
governments agreed on July 23 to: -- use the expertise of the IOM to draft a memorandum of understanding on the movement of people based on international best practices, addressing permit regimes and migration terminology. The IOM expert will present a draft to the next Working Group meeting in October; -- work with the IOM to begin an assessment of biometrics systems and related policy frameworks in both countries. Hodgins added that Canada will pay for the study. Alana Parsons, DFAIT's Senior Project Manager for Afghanistan International Crime and Terrorism, explained that Canada will budget between C$200,000 and C$500,000 to fulfill its funding pledge. The study will seek to identify technical challenges surrounding systems compatibility on both sides of the border, policy frameworks necessary to support these systems, and the next steps required to implement biometrics information sharing. The IOM expert will present his findings to the next Working Group meeting; and, -- draft an action plan by January 2010, in collaboration with the IOM, for the implementation of a biometrics pilot project at the Khyber Pass in Torkham. Hodgins noted that Qproject at the Khyber Pass in Torkham. Hodgins noted that the initial steps will center on commercial traffic, but that the action plan will also identify steps for gradually expanding the use of biometrics for all travelers passing through Torkham. He added the action plan, which Canada will also fund with a budget of C$200,000 to C$500,000, will also have implementation milestones. He added that USG and World Bank border experts will assist the IOM; Additionally, Canada agreed to explore opportunities for joint training and personnel exchanges between migration officials of Afghanistan and Pakistan in advance of the next Working Group meetings in October. Hodgins acknowledged that Canada had agreed to attempt to formulate a list of opportunities "when neither side could come up with any ideas on their own." ¶4. (U) In the Working Group on the Counter-Narcotics, which convened on July 24, senior officials from the two governments: -- reiterated their commitment to UNODC's Border Liaison OTTAWA 00000622 002.2 OF 002 Office (BLO) and presented their respective governments' progress to date on the project in advance of July 29-30 Tehran meeting of the Triangular Initiative Senior Officials; -- reiterated their commitment of improve information sharing on counter-narcotics issues. Hodgins noted that the two governments concluded, however, that they will have to wait for the opening of the BLO to implement concrete actions in support of their mutual pledge. In accord with its commitment under the Dubai Process Action Plan, Afghanistan presented Pakistan with a draft MOU on Counter-Narcotics Cooperation. Pakistan committed to reviewing the draft and providing substantive comments by October 2009; -- agreed to make use of UNODC expertise of international best practices in drafting MOUs for subsequent versions; -- committed to working with the UNODC in preparing a drug treatment needs assessment for each country for presentation in January 2010; and, -- committed to preparing an overview for the next Counter-Narcotics Meeting in February 2010 of their respective activities in drug treatment and their efforts to engage local communities in fighting drugs. ¶5. (C) Hodgins, formerly Canadian political counselor in Kabul, characterized the Dubai Process as a "series of very small steps" and expressed concern that it remained "very fragile." Despite concerns of some observers that the Afghan and Pakistani officials are merely "humoring the Canadians to get a free trip and some meal money," he pointed to some "concrete progress" in several areas, notably agreeing in the Customs Working Group to harmonize their daily hours of operation at crossing points. Another success has been the joint effort to harmonize customs forms at the border. Both have been "real but modest" steps forward in increasing trade and economic growth, he commented. ¶6. (C) Hodgins added that most of the Dubai Process' successes have been in the customs area, since they are relatively non-controversial compared with the "politically charged" nature of the other working groups. He expressed concern that "all of the low hanging fruit has already been picked and all of that which remains is beyond reach of the ground." He analyzed that greater cross border cooperation will depend on increased funding and pressure on the two governments from G-8 partners. Hodgins criticized the Afghans for not "being good team players in making the Process work" and the Pakistanis for their "cynicism" in using the Process to "placate U.S. criticisms of Pakistani inaction on the border." He credited the Afghans for being "much more honest" than the Pakistanis. He explained that the Afghans realize they "need lots of stuff and help and this is a way to get it." Hodgins underscored that Canada uses its understanding of the two sides' mixed motives to shape its role as facilitator, noting that if Canada "does its homework and employs good diplomatic acumen, we can draw out progress as long as we don't cross any redlines on either side." ¶7. (C) To achieve real progress, the Working Groups under the Dubai Process must begin to operate more like the G-8 and G-20, where all the "real work" is done before the plenary meetings, according to Hodgins. He lamented that senior officials from both sides only engage with their counterparts and the international experts when they assemble for these meetings. Without G-8 and especially U.S. pressure, neither side is likely to improve its approach to meeting Qside is likely to improve its approach to meeting preparation, he predicted. Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / BREESE