TOKYO AFGHANISTAN TRACK CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002590 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/J AND S/SRAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2019 TAGS: PREL AF JA SUBJECT: TOKYO AFGHANISTAN TRACK CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND PARTICIPANTS REF: A. TOKYO 2461 ¶B. TOKYO 2391 Classified By: DCM James P. Zumwalt per reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) During a November 6 meeting with Embassy Poloff, Embassy of Afghanistan Press Officer Jason Pratt provided a copy of the program schedule and participants for the November 23-25 Track II conference on Afghanistan (reftel A) organized by Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Upper House Member Tadashi Inuzuka. A copy of the schedule has been sent via unclassified e-mail to EAP/J. ¶2. (C) MOFA Second Middle East Division Principal Deputy Director Yukiya Hamamoto had told us that despite Inuzuka's original aspirations, Prime Minister Hatoyama would definitely not attend and that Foreign Minister Okada was also unlikely to participate. The schedule we received indicates that neither will participate although GOJ Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Motohide Yoshikawa is slated to moderate a Day I session entitled "Challenges in Reconciliation and Reintegration in Afghanistan." ¶3. (U) The Conference will be hosted by World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) Japanese Committee and Japanese Parliamentarians for Shared Security (JPSS),the latter of which Inuzuka is the Vice President. According to the schedule, several Afghan Government officials or advisors are slated to participate including Presidential Advisor Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, Deputy National Security Advisor Ibrahim Spenzada, and MFA Senior Policy Advisor Davood Moradian. Titles provided are those indicated in the schedule. Other regional participants include representatives from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and a to-be-determined parliamentarian from Iran. ¶4. (U) Conference participants have a decided European cast, with former UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Chief and EU Special Representative Francesc Vendrell playing a prominent role, including moderating the final session on the preparation of the Conference's "Recommendation Paper" which is to be given to Prime Minister Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Okada. There is a 90-minute gap between the scheduled close of the conference at 3:30 pm on November 25 and the scheduled "Handover of the Recommendation Paper" to PM Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Okada at 5 pm -- suggesting that Inuzuka and/or a delegation will deliver the paper to the Kantei and MOFA prior to a farewell reception that evening. Another scheduled EU participant is Deputy Ambassador Barbara Stapleton of the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan's Office. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Advisors Nicholas Williams and Graeme Lamb are also included in the schedule. One USAID employee from Mission Kabul is slated to discuss "Local and Municipal Governance and Current Programs in Afghanistan" and appears to be the only USG employee included as a presenter. Foreign ambassadors in Japan, including Ambassador Roos and Afghan Ambassador Hakimi, along with MOFA officials, will be invited as observers. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: It is notable that neither the U.S. nor Afghan Embassies were invited to participate and have only been included as invited observers -- both embassies have been kept at arms length by Inuzuka. Based on a review of the various session titles, Inuzuka's goal appears to be to promote a possible dialogue with the Taliban as well as robust reintegration -- likely to a much greater extent than the GOJ has suggested in its proposals to offer vocational training and livelihoods to lower-echelon insurgents. ROOS