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

UNCLAS KABUL 005039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, SA/CT AND SA/A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR AF
SUBJECT: GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA, KANSAS, AND MISSISSIPPI MEET 
WITH PRESIDENT KARZAI 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: IN A MEETING WITH THE GOVERNORS OF 
GEORGIA, KANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI AND GENERAL BLUM, KARZAI WAS 
IN A GENIAL MOOD, HIGHLIGHTING PROGRESS ON COUNTER NARCOTICS, 
BUT PRESSING FOR CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO ENSURE 
SUCCESS.  HE PRAISED THE AFGHAN PEOPLE'S COMMITMENT TO 
DEMOCRACY AS EVIDENCED BY THE PEACEFUL ELECTIONS, WHILE 
MUSING ON THE EVILS OF TOO MUCH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE 
NEED TO IMPROVE HIS OWN GOVERNANCE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  ON NOVEMBER 26,  GEORGIA GOVERNOR BARBOUR OF 
GEORGIA, KANSAS GOVERNOR SIBELIUS, MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR 
PERDUE AND GENERAL BLUM CALLED ON PRESIDENT KARZAI. 
INITIALLY, KARZAI DISCUSSED HIS TRAVELS AROUND THE UNITED 
STATES AND HIS IMPRESSIONS OF VARIOUS REGIONS.  GOVERNOR 
SIBELIUS EXPLAINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THEIR MISSION WAS TO 
VISIT THEIR STATES' TROOPS, STATIONED IN QATAR, KUWAIT, IRAQ, 
AND BAGRAM, NOTING THAT ALL THE SOLDIERS THEY SPOKE WITH HAD 
BEEN VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND 
THE UTILITY OF THEIR PRESENCE. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT HOW AFGHANISTAN 
HAD PROGRESSED SINCE THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN, KARZAI COMPARED 
THE AFGHANISTAN OF FOUR YEARS AGO TO A "SAD, BLACK AND WHITE 
MOVIE," WHICH HAS NOW MOVED INTO "COLOR AND HOPEFULNESS."  HE 
DESCRIBED THE POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND IMPROVED HEALTH OF 
GROUPS OF TEACHERS HE HAD SPOKEN WITH RECENTLY, COMPARED WITH 
THOSE HE MET WITH IN 2001.  THEY HAVE MUCH BETTER ATTITUDES 
AND GENERALLY BETTER HEALTH.  OTHER SIGNS OF NORMALIZATION 
ARE THE PRESENCE OF FIVE TELEVISION CHANNELS (ONE PUBLIC, 
FOUR PRIVATE) FEATURING PROGRAMS SUCH AS MUSICAL CONTESTS. 
HE THANKED THE GOVERNORS FOR U.S. SUPPORT, EMPHASIZING THAT 
NONE OF THESE ACHIEVEMENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT 
IT.  "WE HAVE A GOOD ARMY AND POLICE FORCE, A 
WELL-FUNCTIONING BUREAUCRACY, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO FIGHT 
TERRORISM ALONG OUR BORDERS," HE CONCLUDED. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)   KARZAI CITED A NEW USG-LED SURVEY SHOWED A 48 
PERCENT REDUCTION IN LAND UNDER POPPY CULTIVATION, COMPARING 
IT TO AN EARLIER UN REPORT WHICH HAD SAID LAND UNDER 
CULTIVATION HAD BEEN REDUCED BY 21 PERCENT.  (COMMENT;  INL 
CONSIDERS THIS PARTICULAR SURVEY TO HAVE STARTED WITH A VERY 
HIGH BASE FIGURE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.  THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF 
HECTARES UNDER CULTIVATION CITED IN BOTH SURVEYS DID NOT VARY 
GREATLY.  END COMMENT)  HE SAID THE PROVINCE OF GHAZNI HAD 
EARNED MORE FROM POTATOES THAT FROM OPIUM THIS YEAR AND THAT 
IN 2005 50,000 FAMILIES HAD REFRAINED FROM PLANTING POPPY. 
THE PRESIDENT MADE A PLEA FOR SUSTAINED INTERNATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE, WITHOUT WHICH THE CN EFFORT WOULD NOT BE 
SUCCESSFUL. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION FROM GOVERNOR PERDUE 
ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF WATER, KARZAI DISCUSSED THE EFFECTS OF 
THE SEVEN-YEAR DROUGHT AND DESTRUCTION OF THE IRRIGATION 
SYSTEM, AND MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD RAISE THE SUBJECT OF DAMS 
AT THE LONDON CONFERENCE. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  KARZAI REFERRED WITH PRIDE TO THE SUCCESSFUL 
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, NOTING THAT, IN SPITE OF ALL THE 
LOSERS (5,800 CANDIDATES FOR ONLY 600-PLUS SEATS) WHO MIGHT 
HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO CREATE PROBLEMS, THERE WAS LITTLE 
DISRUPTION. TWENTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARIANS WERE 
WOMEN, SOME ELECTED ON THEIR MERITS   "THE AFGHAN PEOPLE ARE 
OUR STRONGEST PARTNER; WHETHER THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT WILL BE 
IS A GOOD QUESTION," HE MUSED, NOTING THAT HE WAS NOT A FAN 
OF BIG GOVERNMENT, WHICH HE CONSIDERED TO BE THE PROBLEM, NOT 
THE SOLUTION.  "ALL YOU NEED IS A FOREIGN MINISTER AND A 
FINANCE MINISTER," HE JOKED. 
NEUMANN