NORWAY'S ATTENDANCE AT PRT CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE

UNCLAS OSLO 000035 PRAGUE FOR S/SRAP DERECK HOGAN AND ACTING DCM JOHN LAW SENSITIVE SIPDIS TAGS: PREL NATO AF NO SUBJECT: NORWAY'S ATTENDANCE AT PRT CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE REF: STATE 3595 ¶1. (U) Norway's Senior Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Janis Bjorn Kanavin told PolOff January 21 that Norway would send MFA Senior Advisor Helene Sand Andresen to the PRT Conference in Prague starting January 25. Andresen told PolOff that Kirsten Gislesen and Colonel Roar Laugerud would attend from Norway's Ministry of Defense. She added that no one from the PRT in Faryab (PRT Meymaneh) would participate, but that those attending had long experience working in Afghanistan and on Afghanistan issues. Andresen herself worked in Afghanistan for several years. ¶2. (SBU) Kanavin also took the opportunity to emphasize GON views regarding the negative impact of PRTs substituting rather than supporting Afghan authorities, and the ineffectiveness of Quick Impact Projects (QUIPs) and development assistance, designed for short-term effects and outside of national planning and coordination efforts. He referred to Norway's Faryab Province strategy, available at www.regjeringen.no, as a good outline of Norway's PRT goals. He concluded by noting that the GON strongly supports maintaining a clear distinction between civilian and military efforts. Comment: The MFA has over the past several months been mulling over the option of having its PRT civilian representatives share office space with the UN in Faryab. However, security concerns have prohibited moving forward with the plan, as it would require the civilians to travel daily to and from PRT Meymaneh and the UN office in Faryab. End Comment. WHITE