This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

CONFIDENTIAL ROME 001416 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001416 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR KHALILZHAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2007 
TAGS: PREL EAID AF GM AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: FRG OFFERS KING ARMORED MERCEDES; SEEKS TO 
COORDINATE VEHICLE'S ARRIVAL BY AIRPLANE IN KABUL 
 
REF: STATE 50444 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINCOUNS TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
 
¶1.  (U)  GENERAL WALI, SON-IN-LAW TO FORMER AFGHAN KING ZAHIR 
SHAH, TELEPHONED POLOFF MARCH 20 WITH AN URGENT REQUEST THAT 
THE USG FACILITATE (THE MORE ACCURATE TERM MAY BE "PROVIDE") 
DELIVERY OF AN ARMORED MERCEDES BENZ S600L REPORTEDLY BEING 
GIVEN TO THE KING BY THE FRG AND MERCEDES BENZ.  ACCORDING TO 
WALI, THE GERMANS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE AVAILABLE 
FOR THE KING UPON HIS ARRIVAL IN KABUL.  THE VEHICLE WEIGHS 
4,150 KG. AND HAS "ALL SECURITY MEASURES INCORPORATED."  (THE 
AFGHANS ALSO USED THE TERM "BULLET-PROOF."  WE ASSUME THIS IS 
AN ARMORED VEHICLE.) 
 
¶2.  (U)  WALI RECEIVED THE INFORMATION FROM DR. RAHMAN 
ASHRAF, WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS AN AFGHAN-GERMAN GEOLOGY 
PROFESSOR WHO REGULARLY SPEAKS TO THE AFGHANS ON BEHALF OF 
THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT.  WALI THEN HAD DR. ASHRAF TELEPHONE 
POLOFF.  ASHRAF CONFIRMED THE ABOVE AND SAID THE GERMANS 
HOPED TO FLY THE VEHICLE INTO BAGRAM.  ASHRAF ASSERTED THAT 
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EVERY DAY, TWO AIRCRAFT FLY FROM RAMSTEIN AFB TO BAGRAM; THE 
GERMANS HOPED TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE ON ONE OF THESE 
FLIGHTS -- ONE ARRIVING BEFORE THE KING DOES.  (SEE PARA 4.) 
HE SAID THE FACTORY WOULD DELIVER THE CAR TO RAMSTEIN FROM 
STUTTGART AS EARLY AS "TODAY" (MARCH 20) OR THE MORNING OF 
MARCH 21.  ASHRAF SAID DR. ZALMAI RASSOUL, FORMER EXECUTIVE 
SECRETARY TO THE KING AND CURRENT CIVIL AVIATION MINISTER IN 
 
SIPDIS 
THE AIA, RAISED THE MATTER WITH SPECIAL ENVOY KHALILZAD AND 
WITH AIA CHAIRMAN KARZAI, WHO BOTH REPORTEDLY SUPPORT THE 
GIFT.  WALI URGED US TO COMMUNICATE THE URGENCY OF THE 
REQUEST FOR TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS THE KING'S 
ENTHUSIASTIC ACCEPTANCE OF AND SUPPORT FOR THE GENEROUS OFFER. 
 
¶3.  (U)  POLOFF ASKED ASHRAF FOR CONTACTS IN GERMANY, 
PREFERABLY BOTH IN THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT AND AT MERCEDES 
BENZ.  ASHRAF CALLED BACK TO PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR 
A MR. MUELLER, WHO HE SAID IS THE MERCEDES DIRECTOR IN CHARGE 
OF SECURITY VEHICLES.  MUELLER CAN BE REACHED BY TELEPHONE AT 
49-711-173-3103, IN HIS OFFICE IN STUTTGART.  ASHRAF DID NOT 
HAVE A GOVERNMENT CONTACT, BUT SAID MUELLER WAS "AWARE OF ALL 
ARRANGEMENTS."  DR. ASHRAF'S CONTACT INFORMATION IS AS 
FOLLOWS:  49-171-540-6283 (CELLULAR); 49-74-717-3274 (HOME); 
49-70-7129-74039 (OFFICE, TUBINGEN UNIVERSITY, INSTITUTE FOR 
GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY). 
 
¶4.  (C)  COMMENT:  GIVEN USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE KING'S SAFETY 
INSIDE AFGHANISTAN (REF), THIS OFFER MAY BE A USEFUL ONE, 
ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO EVALUATE THE CAR'S 
PRACTICALITY ON AFGHAN TERRAIN.  THE KING DEPARTS ROME MARCH 
25, TO ARRIVE IN AFGHANISTAN MARCH 26, SO THERE IS LITTLE 
TIME TO GET THE MERCEDES IN PLACE TO RECEIVE HIM ON THE 
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GROUND, AS THE GERMANS REPORTEDLY WANT AND WE MAY WISH TO 
SUPPORT. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME01416 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL