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DE RUEHBUL #1904/01 1191526
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P 291526Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
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INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/FO (DAS GASTRIGHT), SCA/A, S/CT, EUR/RPM, P 
STAFF (MANUEL) 
NSC FOR O'SULLIVAN/HARRIMAN/AMEND 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2016 
TAGS: PGOV OTRA OVIP SNAR AF
SUBJECT: ONDCP DIRECTOR DISCUSSES COUNTER-NARCOTICS WITH 
PRESIDENT KARZAI 
 
KABUL 00001904  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR RONALD NEUMANN, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.(C) SUMMARY: ONDCP Director John Walters and his 
delegation, accompanied by SCA Assistant Secretary Richard 
Boucher, and Ambassador Neumann met with President Karzai on 
April 2.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C)  Director Walters began by noting this was his third 
visit to Afghanistan and congratulated President Karzai on 
the enormous progress he had observed each time, including in 
counter-narcotics. 
 
¶3. (C) President Karzai expressed pleasure that the structure 
of government document that he had submitted to the 
Parliament had passed, clearing the way for hearings on 
Karzai's new Cabinet.  The Afghan leader announced with pride 
that all of the Cabinet would appear before Parliament the 
next day and first Vice President Massoud would give a short 
speech introducing the Cabinet nominees and asking the 
Parliament to vote for them.  President Karzai believed a 
"yes" vote was adding to the security of the country, so he 
hoped Parliamentarians would feel free to criticize, but 
would vote "yes" at the end of the day.  President Karzai 
then said the country would not be without U.S. help. 
President Karzai said that the visit of President Bush and 
his meeting with Afghan leaders had been a huge boost for 
relations. 
 
¶4. (C) Launching into counter-narcotics, President Karzai 
stated that the GOA had begun a rigorous CN program in 
Helmand and had replaced a Governor with tribal roots by 
moving him into the Meshrano Jirga.  Walters praised the 
"astonishing" 95 percent decline in poppy production achieved 
in Nangahar last year which showed the way Afghans could 
respond to a leadership plea.  Noting that addiction was 
growing in Afghanistan, Karzai said "we have to speak more 
about it" and he asked his Chief of Staff to remind him to 
speak about this in his address to the clergy two days hence. 
 Karzai noted that sometimes people in producing countries 
think poppy production is not their problem. 
 
¶5. (C)  The Afghan President noted that Pakistan had become a 
net importer of opium even at a time when its production was 
growing.  He added that his Deputy National Security Advisor, 
who was from Farah said that when he was looking for able 
people to hire as security guards, he had said that there 
were no reliable people to hire because of the prevalence of 
addiction. 
 
¶6. (C)  President Karzai recounted his recent trip to Zabol 
as an example of progress.  Zabol had not had any recent 
incidents of violence.  The United Arab Emirates had built a 
new hospital there with incubators for premature births.  The 
PRT was running computer classes and girls and boys were now 
going to school.  With children going to school all around 
the country, President Karzai said, people were looking for 
quality education.  He remarked that Kandahar university and 
the Science College in Herat were both looking at standards 
to develop education.  President Karzai said that now is the 
time for standards in education and he intended to provide 
them for the Afghan people. 
 
¶7. (C) Director Walters lauded the fact that Afghanistan now 
has a criminal code.  He said he had met with Nangahar 
Governor Shirzai that day at the Jalalabad RTC.  Director 
Walters said that as police officials were gradually 
increasing in numbers, they are looking for improvements in 
the ability to try cases.  President Karzai responded that he 
had been talking to the Chief Justice about this progress. 
Shinwari had recalled that a man had kidnapped two beautiful 
 
KABUL 00001904  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
girls from a family three years ago.  When the police were 
dispatched to the man's house, he had released one but not 
both daughters and the police had been powerless to get the 
other girl back.  Today, Karzai averred, this could not 
happen.  President Karzai pointed out that he had nominated a 
new slate of Supreme Court justices and was waiting for their 
confirmation by Parliament.  The Afghan leader added that 
Afghanistan had not trained any new people in the past 
(thirty years).  He said that the Attorney-General's office 
needed "housekeeping" as did the courts, the MOI and the 
municipalities.  He opined that in a time of war the GOA had 
got used to operating as if it were "boss", but that it was 
important that the government learn to see itself as a 
service organization. 
 
¶8. (C) People have become hopeful as stability has increased, 
said Karzai.  When he ran for President Karzai promised to 
raise the average per capita GDP to $ 500 per year. 
Afghanistan reached $ 335 which is good progress from $ 180 
two years ago.  He said with a twinkle in his eye that 
Afghanistan should be able to reach this within the next 3 
and a half years remaining in his presidency. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Director Walters has not had a chance to review this 
cable. 
 
 
 
 
 
NEUMANN