AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE: POINTS FOR USE WITH HOST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 024422 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2019 TAGS: PREL AF PK IR UN SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE: POINTS FOR USE WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS Classified By: ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY DON CAMP ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. ¶2. (U) The following contains guidance for posts in conjunction with the March 31 International Conference on Afghanistan to be hosted by The Netherlands at The Hague. The one-day event will include 89 countries and international organizations, and will be co-chaired by the UN, The Netherlands, and Afghanistan. The conference will be opened by UNSYG Ban Ki-Moon and Afghan President Karzai, and chaired by UN SRSG for Afghanistan Kai Eide, Dutch Foreign Minister Verhagen, and Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta. Our primary purpose in employing these points is to convey complete support for The Netherlands as conference host and to urge ministerial-level participation from the invitees. STATE 00024422 002 OF 004 ¶3. (C/REL NL) Posts should seek appropriate opportunities to raise below points, bearing in mind that the USG is a participant at the conference and not an organizer. To the extent possible, posts are encouraged to coordinate with their Dutch counterparts. ¶4. (U) Begin points: -- Secretary Clinton proposed a Ministerial-level gathering focused on Afghanistan while meeting with NATO colleagues in Brussels on March 5. -- The Government of The Netherlands has generously agreed to host this event in The Hague on March 31, titled, "International Conference on Afghanistan - A Comprehensive Strategy in a Regional Context." -- The goal of the conference is to seek broad strategic consensus on the way forward and to refocus international attention on Afghanistan and the region with a greater emphasis on the civilian dimension. This event will not be a pledging conference. STATE 00024422 003 OF 004 -- The United Nations, The Netherlands, and Afghanistan will co-chair the conference. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and President Hamid Karzai of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will open the meeting and then the proceedings will be led by Kai Eide, UN Special Representative to the Secretary General, Maxim Verhagen, Foreign Minister of The Netherlands, and Dr. Rangin Spanta, Foreign Minister to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. -- SRSG Eide will produce a chairman's statement reflecting the outcomes of the conference in close coordination with the co-chairs. -- The intent is for a "big tent" conference representing not only NATO allies, ISAF member nations, and financial donors, but also key international institutions and other stakeholders in peace and stability in Afghanistan, the region, and beyond. -- Pakistan, Iran, Russia, India, and China have been invited as well and we believe their active participation will be STATE 00024422 004 OF 004 important. -- Secretary Clinton and Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Holbrooke will participate in the conference, and we strongly urge your government to participate at the ministerial level as well. -- We encourage you to contact the Government of The Netherlands for more details. ¶5. Action request: In coordination with the Dutch where possible, posts are requested to query host government counterparts to determine whether and at what level they will participate. Additional details, including delegation composition, would be appreciated if available. Please email responses to Colin Guest (guestcc@state.gov) and Raphael Carland (carlandr@state.gov). CLINTON