Canadian Views on Afghanistan Heading into the London

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000041 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NOFORN AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PASS TO AMEMBASSY PODGORICA AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PASS TO AMCONSUL QUEBEC E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/26 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EFIN AF CA SUBJECT: Canadian Views on Afghanistan Heading into the London Conference REF: STATE 6355 CLASSIFIED BY: Scott Bellard, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, State Department, Political Section; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Canada's priorities for London are the transition to Afghan lead, reintegration, and reconciliation. Canada is looking for more information on the Reintegration Trust Fund before making a decision on its contribution. Canada hopes to avoid specific time lines for transition, and seeks instead an emphasis on the creation of necessary conditions for handover. Canada supports strengthening the NATO SCR, but seeks better definition and clarification of the respective roles of NATO and UNAMA in coordinating civilian efforts. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following reftel demarche by polmiloff, Deputy Director for Strategic Policy Caroline Delaney of the Afghanistan Task Force in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on January 26 described Canada's expectations for the London Conference and responded to our points. She noted that Adrian Norfolk, Director of the Afghan Task Force's Policy and Advocacy Division, is already in London to prepare for Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon's participation in the conference. ¶3. (C/NF) According to Delaney, Canada has modest expectations for London. She expressed appreciation for our outreach points, and confirmed that Canada is broadly in line with our objectives. Canadian priorities are for an effective transition to Afghan government lead -- wherever and whenever possible -- and progress on reconciliation and reintegration. Delaney voiced satisfaction with the movement on the Reintegration Trust Fund, while underscoring that Canada was still seeking more details about the functioning of the fund. She emphasized that Canada has money for this purpose and is "inclined" to make a contribution to the fund, but is "not comfortable" yet that Canada has sufficient information yet to make a firm funding decision. Canada has no plans at present to announce a contribution in London, but additional details could emerge during the course of the conference that might make an announcement possible, she added. ¶4. (C/NF) Canada is interested in endorsing the ISAF plan for transition to Afghan security lead, although DFAIT feels strongly about avoiding references to specific timelines in the communiquC), Delaney explained. Canada would prefer to see an emphasis on the need to create the "necessary conditions" to permit transition to Afghan lead. She argued against setting even specific year goals for the transition to Afghan lead on the provincial level. However, she promised that Canada would not block consensus on this issue, but commented that Canada was not alone on this issue. Delaney expressed a hope for a concrete reintegration plan from the Afghan government at some point soon. She pointed to recent public comments by General McCrystal suggesting that he would be "open to negotiations," saying that this would create a different context for discussion on both reconciliation and reintegration. ¶5. (C/NF) Delaney reiterated that Canada has made clear that it recognizes UNAMA as the lead on coordination of international civilian efforts. DFAIT favors a strengthening of the role of the NATO Senior Civilian Representative, while believing that it is vital for the international community to define and to establish respective roles for the UN and NATO. She noted that this is especially important given that there are areas of the country where the UN cannot go. She underscored the need to clarify the role of the NATO SCR and to define how international efforts will be linked to GIRoA. Delaney also observed that two-thirds of the U.S. outreach points were on security and reintegration and one-third to development and governance; she commented that these emphases were "appropriate" from DFAIT's perspective. JACOBSON