UNODC PLANS BIG FOR PAKISTAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 UNVIE VIENNA 000304

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (DELETED SPACE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PREL PTER SNAR EAID UN AF PK CA RU IR UK
SUBJECT: UNODC PLANS BIG FOR PAKISTAN

UNVIE VIEN 00000304 001.3 OF 002


--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: At a June 15 meeting, UNODC Deputy Director for
Operations Bernard Frahi shared with us the terms of reference for
his recent mission to Pakistan and UNODC's plans for its program
there. (Mission report and terms of reference were emailed to the
Department - IO/T, INL/PC, and SCA.) Based on meetings in Islamabad
and Lahore with Pakistani officials, key donor representatives and
UN officials, Frahi and his colleagues identified four areas in
which UNODC could play a meaningful role; (i) counternarcotics, (ii)
strengthening civilian police, (iii) criminal justice reform, (iv)
counter-terrorism. More particularly, Frahi and others at the UNODC
have concluded that improving security, including strengthening
civilian police and the justice system, should be an area of focus
for UNODC. Frahi is developing a concept paper for an UNODC work
plan, which he will use to solicit contributions from donors,
primarily through the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group. He
estimated that the plan would require USD 19 million, although the
immediate needs, to staff up UNODC's Islamabad office, are estimated
in the USD 700,000 to USD 900,000 range. Our AFPAK Strategy and new
donor interest in Pakistan have encouraged UNODC to increase its
engagement in Pakistan, and we believe that it is moving in the
right direction. END SUMMARY.

--------------
Whom They Met
--------------


2. (SBU) Frahi travelled on UNODC mission to Pakistan June 1-6,
along with UNODC Integrated Programming Unit Chief Mark Shaw and
Terrorism Prevention Branch Expert Ilias Chazis. He described his
mission, intended to identify both priority areas of donor interests
and available bilateral resources, as "positive" and "terrific." He
and his colleagues met with the Pakistani Ministers of Interior,
Finance, and the Planning Commission. In addition, they met senior
officials from a spectrum of agencies, including Foreign Affairs,
Law, Justice and Human Rights, Narcotics Control, Economic Affairs,
and National Reconstruction. They also met the Supreme Court
Registrar, and heads of law enforcement agencies, including the
Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigation Authority, National
Police Bureau, National Crisis Management Cell, and National
Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Authority, as well as General
Syed Jaffery, head of Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). During
a day visit to Lahore, they met the Inspector General of Police and
the Director General of Prisons for Punjab province. Furthermore,
they met with representatives of the embassies of U.S., Canada, UK,
Italy, Japan, European Union, France, Germany, and Greece. They
also met with UN officials Jean Arnault from UN's Department of
Political Affairs, who is Special Adviser of the Friends of
Democratic Pakistan Group, and Fikret Akcura, UN Resident
Coordinator in Pakistan.

-------------- --------------
Four Pillars for a Pakistan Strategy: Counternarcotics
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) According to Frahi, his mission helped him refine four main
areas for UNODC intervention; (i) counternarcotics, (ii)
strengthening civilian police, (iii) criminal justice reform, (iv)
counter-terrorism. For counternarcotics, UNODC would continue to
foster regional cooperation already underway through the Triangular
Initiative and the Dubai process. UNODC would facilitate joint
operations among Pakistani law enforcement groups by improving
Pakistani law enforcement intelligence collection and sharing. He
noted the support of the Finance Ministry for a revised version of
the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA),expected to be signed in
mid-September, which will allow the inspection of cargo between
Afghanistan and Pakistan. He remarked that while ANF head Major
General Jaffery had been cooperative, UNODC would need to establish
border liaison offices in sensitive parts of Pakistan, such as
Quetta (Pakistan) and Chaman (Afghanistan),in order to implement
the Triangular Initiative. Furthermore, Frahi believes that UNODC
would need to work with local authorities to resolve the security
issue in Baluchistan before it can tackle drug trafficking through
that region.

--------------
Strengthening Civilian Police
--------------


4. (SBU) Frahi described the police as fragmented and lacking in
equipment and training. Pakistan has brought former military

UNVIE VIEN 00000304 002.3 OF 002


officers out of retirement to serve as police in the Northwest
Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Frahi
observed, but they lack training in civilian police work. He cited
the need to train the police to gather forensic evidence for
investigations of crimes such as kidnapping (which he claims to
occur at the rate of one every 36 hours),to conduct organized crime
threat assessments, improve police service and civilian oversight.
Frahi said that the UNODC had already provided some training to
Pakistan to help them set up a forensic lab in Islamabad, but such
centers need to be replicated in the provinces, e.g., in Punjab.
Frahi acknowledged that the population distrusts the civilian
police.

--------------
Reforming the Criminal Justice System
--------------


5. (SBU) The third pillar of the proposed strategy is to strengthen
the criminal justice system, including the restoration of law and
order in the Northwest Frontier Provinces and Federally Administered
Tribal Areas. More specifically, Frahi described the prisons as
being overcrowded, without separation and proper control of women
prisoners. He referred to the view of the Punjab Director of
Prisons that his province needs many more than the existing 36
prisons. Frahi advocated an assessment of such needs.

--------------
Counter-Terrorism
--------------


6. (SBU) Frahi noted that UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch is
already doing work in this area - helping member states to draft
legislations to meet the requirements of UNSC resolutions. In
Frahi's view, UNODC could work with Pakistan's National Coordinator
of the Counter-Terrorism Authority to draft legislations for a
national counter-terrorism strategy for Pakistan.

--------------
Next Steps for UNODC
--------------


7. (SBU) To follow up on his visit, UNODC will hold an offsite to
prepare a "concept note" that will translate the priorities
identified on Frahi's mission into concrete projects. He estimated
UNODC's new Pakistan program would cost USD 19 million. (Note: For
comparison, UNODC's program in Afghanistan costs USD 20 million.
End Note.) The most immediate need would be to strengthen the UNODC
office in Islamabad for USD 700,000 - USD 900,000. This will cover
the addition of one or two experts and the development of a program.
UNODC would seek a "real doer" with the "proper profile" to fill the
top position, someone who can formulate projects and upgrade them as
needed. The concept note, which Frahi planned to complete by June
29, would become a project document to be circulated among donors.
It is unlikely to include any UNODC office in the Northwest Frontier
Province because of the poor security situation.



8. (SBU) Frahi noted that Canada had expressed interest in UNODC's
work in Pakistan, viewing it as a tool for advancing the Dubai
Process. (Note: This is the Canadian initiative to promote
cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. End Note.) Frahi
asked what the UK and U.S. could contribute to UNODC's work in
Pakistan. Counselor promised to relay his question to Washington.
The upcoming July 1 UNODC Major Donors meeting would be a venue to
offer some preliminary USG reactions.

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


9. (SBU) To date UNODC has had a meager program in Pakistan. Our
new AFPAK strategy, followed by expressions of interest in Pakistan
from major UNODC donors, such as Japan and Italy, has encouraged
UNODC to look for ways to expand its Pakistan activities within the
constraints of security limitations. Its mission to Pakistan, on
the heels of its participation in the Tokyo meeting of the Friends
of Pakistan, has helped the Secretariat to focus on how UNODC could
supplement existing bilateral and multilateral assistance programs
to the country. Improving security is a good start, and we look
forward to learning the specifics of its program for the country.

END COMMENT.

PYATT