Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM148
2009-03-04 14:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:  

AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE NORDICS ON INCREASING

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR AF SW 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9255
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0148/01 0631409
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 041409Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4185
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 2518
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000148 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR AF SW
SUBJECT: AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE NORDICS ON INCREASING
SWEDEN'S ROLE

REF: STOCKHOLM 126

Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000148

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR AF SW
SUBJECT: AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE NORDICS ON INCREASING
SWEDEN'S ROLE

REF: STOCKHOLM 126

Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).


1. (C) Summary and Action Request: Afghan Ambassador to the
Nordic countries, Jawed Ludin, met with CDA on February 26 to
discuss ways to boost Sweden's role in Afghanistan. He
focused on development aid as Sweden's comparative advantage.
He suggested that Sweden should learn from Norway in its
approach to double tracking development assistance through
both the provinces and central government authorities. He
said his FM requested at the EU Troika in Prague that the EU
organize an international conference on Afghanistan
assistance, and suggested that Sweden host it during its EU
presidency in the second half of 2009. This would be a
chance to review aid effectiveness, not a new pledging
conference, he stressed. Action Request: Post seeks
guidance on the desirability of Sweden hosting such a
conference. End Summary and Action Request.

Sweden's PRT
--------------


2. (C) Donor countries, like Sweden, should be more flexible
with their aid to find ways to benefit both the central
government and provincial levels, Ludin told the CDA, instead
of directly funding provinces through PRTs or only focusing
on the central government, Sweden should emulate the
Norwegian process of allocating funds. For example, the
Norwegian government signed a contract with the Ministry of
Education stating the Ministry would provide teachers and
schools in Faryab Province, where its PRT is based. The
Norwegians then allocated funds to the central government,
which in turn had the flexibility to use the funds in any
province as long as it met its contractual agreements in
Faryab. Ludin said the Swedes are receptive to this model.
(We note, however, that in 2009 the Swedish International
Development Agency (SIDA) will directly allocate a quarter of
its Afghan aid budget to the provinces in its PRT.)


3. (C) Ludin said the Swedes do not like to use their troops
to support aid projects, but that he has stressed to the
Swedes the importance of using the military in constructive
ways, such as building schools and wells. Ludin said that
State Secretary Frank Belfrage told him in a separate meeting
that development and civilian engagement in Afghanistan would
remain high priorities during the Swedish presidency.

Please Call First!
--------------


4. (C) Ludin was highly critical of FM Bildt's October 2008
trip to Afghanistan, stating that the Swedes failed to go
through the proper channels to arrange and execute the visit,
perhaps out of security concerns. PM Reinfeldt's January
2009 visit was better coordinated with the Afghan government,
he said. In all, Sweden, compared to its Nordic neighbors,
has sent far fewer minister-level visitors, according to
Ludin.


5. (C) Ludin told the CDA that, according to Belfrage,
Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Anna Karin
Enestrom was appointed to engage directly with Amb. Holbrooke
and European counterparts in Afghanistan (reftel).

EU-led Global Conference on Afghanistan?
--------------


6. (C) Ludin said Afghan FM Spanta proposed to the EU Troika
in Prague that the EU organize, and Sweden host, an
international review conference on Afghanistan in the second
half of 2009, not as a new pledging conference, but as a
follow-on to the Paris Pledging Conference of 2008. Ludin
reported that Belfrage told him he would consider the idea
more carefully with FM Bildt, but questioned whether such a
format would be the appropriate, or desirable, way to address
Afghanistan-related issues during Sweden's presidency. The
Norwegian FM is very supportive of the idea and wants the
Swedes to take the initiative, said Ludin, adding that it
would be helpful to have the U.S. support as well.


7. (C) Ludin lamented that security issues dominate
discussions on Afghanistan, but development issues should be
discussed just as much. The Europeans are "turned off" by
the focus on hard security. Their competitive advantage, he
said, was development aid, and money in is fungible, he
stressed. He said if four of the Nordic states were thought
of as one state, they would give more in aid to Afghanistan
than any other nation in Europe -- about USD 350 million
(Norway gives about USD 170, Denmark about USD 90 and Finland

STOCKHOLM 00000148 002 OF 002


about USD 10 million, he said); Sweden gives USD 80 million.


8. (U) Bio Note: Prior to assuming his current position,
Ludin was President Karzai's Chief of Staff. From 2003-2005
he was the Presidential Spokesman and Director of
Communications. He worked for various NGOs in Afghanistan
from 1994-8, focusing on humanitarian assistance. He is a
fluent English speaker, and holds a Master of Science Degree
in Political Science Theory from the University of London.
SILVERMAN