Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH566
2009-04-14 07:31:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:  

SAG VIEWS ON SITUATION IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN

Tags:  PREL EAID PGOV SA AF PK 
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000566 

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR P, NEA(AA/S FELTMAN),INR/NESA, INR/TNC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV SA AF PK
SUBJECT: SAG VIEWS ON SITUATION IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. SECSTATE 31102

B. SECSTATE 32712

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)

Key points
----------

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000566

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR P, NEA(AA/S FELTMAN),INR/NESA, INR/TNC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV SA AF PK
SUBJECT: SAG VIEWS ON SITUATION IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. SECSTATE 31102

B. SECSTATE 32712

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)

Key points
--------------


1. (S/NF) According to the Saudis, the U.S. should talk with
moderate elements in the Taliban as they could not be
defeated solely through military means.

--(S) Deputy FM Prince Turki said Zardari should include
Sharif and other opponents in the decision-making process if
he wants to improve stability.

--(C) With regard to the upcoming Tokyo conference, the
Saudis believe the U.S. should solicit contributions for
Pakistan from a broad range of countries and the
international community should come up with a mechanism to
ensure funds are going to the cause for which they are
intended.

--(S/NF) On the topic of aid to Afghanistan, Turki said
corruption in the Karzai administration needs to be addressed
before the SAG considers further assistance to Afghansitan.

Comment
--------------


2. (S/NF) The Saudis have never liked or trusted Zardari, and
recent political turmoil in Pakistan seems to have shaken
their confidence in his political viability. Further, the
local impact of the financial crisis and low oil prices are
causing the Saudis to become more hard-nosed about their
foreign assistance expenditures.

Pakistan: Deal with political unrest first
--------------


3. (C) On April 7, the Charge and the acting DCM met with
Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral Relations Dr. Prince
Turki bin Mohamed al Kabeer to discuss the Saudi government's
views on Pakistan and Afghanistan and to present the
demarches in refs A and B. In response to our request for
information on Saudi attendance at the upcoming Pakistan
donors' conference in Tokyo, Prince Turki confirmed the
Saudis would be attending, but had not yet determined who
would make up their delegation or how much they might
contribute. He emphasized the SAG's strong interest in
Pakistan's well-being, as well as their urgent need for

assistance, but also stated the political situation needed to
be addressed first.


4. (S/NF) In particular, Prince Turki focused on what he saw
as a need to engage 'moderate elements' of the Taliban in
dialogue (drawing little distinction between the Taliban in
Pakistan and that in Afghanistan),the need to resolve
domestic political differences between the Zardari and the
Sharif camps, and the need to effectively monitor where and
how assistance monies are spent. He said the more the
international community ignores 'moderates' in the Taliban,
the more they are radicalized and that the Taliban could not
be defeated solely by military means. Turki also cautioned
against Iran, stating they were seeking to make political
gains by taking advantage of instability.


5. (S) When asked about the SAG's views on Pakistan's
domestic political situation, Prince Turki said he did not
believe Zardari was as experienced as his wife had been and
had hoped he would have been more inclusive of other
political parties in the decision-making process (than was
the case). Turki doubted Zardari would give Sharif a chance
to participate despite Zardari's promises to the contrary
during his recent visit to the Kingdom. At the same time,
Turki said the Saudis do not favor one Pakistani political
faction over another, their main concern is stability.


6. (C) Prince Turki encouraged the USG to solicit

RIYADH 00000566 002 OF 002


contributions for the Tokyo conference from other countries,
particularly the other GCC members, EU members, and Japan.
He said the international community should come up with a way
to ensure that aid to Pakistan was used for its intended
purpose and should not become one of these programs where
"2/3 of the money goes to administration."

Afghanistan: Corruption is key
--------------


7. (S/NF) In response to the Charge's suggestion that the SAG
should contribute to the various Afghan trust funds as well
as to certain Afghan infrastructure projects, Prince Turki
said the SAG would first have to be convinced the money would
not be diverted into the pockets of Afghan officials,
emphasizing his impression that corruption is pervasive
throughout the Karzai government. He also pointed to the
current global economic crisis as a reason Saudi
contributions would be limited, saying there was a shortage
of money everywhere and the USG should make its requests for
money "more realistic."


8. (S) Prince Turki reinforced his previous point about
watching out for Iran taking advantage of political
instability, citing their inroads with Hamas despite Hamas'
Sunni identity. He made it clear the SAG considers Pakistan
and Afghanistan inextricably intertwined and that any
solutions will have be tailored such that they deal with the
problems in both.

Prince Turki
--------------


9. (C) Prince Turki is the number two in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. While not a senior decision-maker himself,
Post has found him to be a reliable source of insight into
what the Saudi senior leadership is thinking.
RUNDELL