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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 005223 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/FO AND SA/FO AMB QUINN 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN/KAMEND 
 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV PTER KCRM AF
SUBJECT: Update on CN Activities 11/20-12/20 
 
REF A) KABUL  REF B) REF C) KABUL 5137 
 
¶1. Summary: The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI) 
campaign is entering phase two: eradication, which will be 
folded into ongoing rule of law and health campaigns. Hiring 
for PEP teams continues with the aim of hiring of Afghan 
staff by early January and the hiring of the International 
Advisors (IA) by the end of January. The national seed and 
fertilizer program is nearing completion with provisions 
distributed to farmers in 97 percent of all districts across 
Afghanistan. USAID, with its implementing partners is 
planning a spring planting activity using market-oriented 
vegetables, instead of wheat. Working with the Border Police 
and National Interdiction Unit (NIU) at Kabul International 
Airport, DEA assisted in the apprehension and arrests of 
four individuals attempting to smuggle drugs from 
Afghanistan to China and India. The Counter Narcotics Law 
was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. To plan 
for governor-led eradication, the Afghan Ministry of 
Interior drafted a request for support to the Afghan 
Eradication Force (AEF) which outlines the resources needed 
for eradication, province by province. End Summary 
 
Public Information 
------------------ 
Poppy Elimination Program 
 
¶2. (U) The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI) 
program CNPI campaign is entering into phase two: 
comprehensive eradication messaging. Rule of law and health 
will be folded into a comprehensive eradication messaging 
campaign. In keeping with the Public Information Strategy as 
described in REF A, five radio spots will begin airing 
nation-wide next week and will include messages from: a 
mother of a drug addict, the chief of police in Kabul, the 
head of the Jalalabad Shura, a prominent Jalalabad school 
principal, a farmer from Badakshan and a Kabuli drug addict. 
Each radio ad will have a related CN message followed by an 
emphasis on the impending eradication process. 
 
¶3. (U) From January 1 until January 15 we will have 
distributed 14,000 posters (2 designs), 80,000 stickers, 
100,000 booklets, 18 billboards and 42 banners.  From Dec 28 
to Feb 12 a projected 1,080 radio spots will air. 
 
¶4. (U) The Embassy's CNPI team will release a second tranche 
of eradication products beginning January 15, which will 
include a similar number of printed materials and radio 
spots. ISAF has substantial CN messaging coverage in the 
Northern and Western parts of the country and the Embassy is 
discussing with the ISAF PSYOPS Support Element how to best 
integrate its CN campaign with ours. 
 
¶5. (U) A CN survey will be completed the first week of 
January. This survey will build off the last survey 
conducted in April 2005 and will measure: economic 
conditions, local and national problems, 
attitudes/confidence towards community leaders and 
government officials, health related causes of using 
opiates, opinions about who uses opiates and overall 
exposure to the CNPI campaign. 
 
 
Poppy Elimination Program (PEP) Update 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Deputy Minister of the Interior Daoud hosted 
conferences from December 14-21 to develop plans for 
governor-led eradication. Daoud invited provincial 
representatives and tribal elders, from key opium producing 
provinces to Kabul, to discuss how eradication will be 
conducted in their provinces. The following provinces 
participated in the conference: 
     December 14th---Nangarhar and Kunar 
     December 15th---Kandahar and Helmand 
     December 17th---Uruzgan and Farah 
     December 18th---Badakhshan and Baglan 
     December 20th---Balkh and Sar-e-Pul 
     December 21st---Badghis and Samangan 
 
¶7. (U) The conferences provided an excellent venue for the 
provincial leaders to air their grievances about the 
previous year's eradication campaign and for leaders to 
constructively develop plans for eradication in 2006. 
 
¶8. (U) The governors in the seven PEP provinces were 
required to submit draft plans for governor-led eradication 
to the Ministry of Counter Narcotics by December 15. The 
Ministry of Counter Narcotics is in the process of reviewing 
these plans and determining what resources will be needed 
for the 2006 eradication campaign. 
 
¶9. (U) General Daoud has begun discussions for a National 
Conference for Counter Narcotics, similar to the national 
conference held in December 2004.  Daoud envisions a 
conference in Kabul of approximately 600 participants from 
all over Afghanistan that would include national, provincial 
and local authorities, elders and religious leaders. 
 
¶10. (U) The Afghan PEP Program Manager reports that hiring 
for, the seven-member, Afghan PEP teams will be completed in 
early January. Hiring for the PEP International Advisors 
(IAs) continues. Post has reviewed more than twenty resumes 
and has recommended seven candidates. Offers were made to 
the seven and four advisors have been hired to work in the 
following provinces: 
 
Kandahar:      Tim Sessum (Kandahar- on the ground) 
Uruzgan:       Tim Stiffey (Tarin Kowt- on the ground) 
Nangarhar:     Charlie Rentieria (Jalalabad- on the ground) 
Balkh:         Martha Barbosa (Mazar e Sharif- 12/12/05) 
Badakshan:     empty 
Farah:         slotted for non-US (Farah) 
Helmand:       slotted for non-US (Lashkar Gah) 
 
¶11. (U) The Embassy continues to work with DynCorp to 
identify candidates for the remaining PEP provinces and 
hopes to have all hiring completed by the end of January. 
 
¶12. (U) Site Surveys for PEP offices have been conducted in 
all but two provinces: Balkh, with a survey trip scheduled 
for next week. A cursory trip was conducted in Badakshan and 
a follow-on trip will be scheduled for early January. Dyn 
Corp has identified three sites for PEP offices: Kandahar, 
Nangarhar and Helmand. Dyn Corp has submitted a cost 
proposal for construction of the office in Laskar Gah. Post 
is in the process of reviewing the proposal and will forward 
comment SEPTEL. 
 
Alternative Livelihoods 
----------------------- 
¶12. (U) The national fall seed and fertilizer program is 
drawing to a close.  The program distributed wheat seed and 
fertilizer to farmers in all provinces across Afghanistan. 
The program was unable to reach 11 of 397 districts in time 
for fall planting due to early snow falls, and security 
issues.  However, the seed and fertilizer used in these 
areas is suitable for spring wheat planting and will be kept 
until spring to allow farmers in those districts to benefit 
from the program.  Thus, the program has successfully 
delivered seed and fertilizer with counter narcotics 
messages to 97 percent of its target beneficiaries. 
 
¶13. (U) USAID plans to implement a spring seed and 
fertilizer program that will focus on market-oriented 
production of vegetables, rather than the one off 
distribution of wheat seed in the fall program.  The spring 
program is a sustainable development activity that will 
require a lot of assistance not only to deliver the seed, 
but also to transport and market the products. USAID's 
Alternative Livelihoods implementing partners will implement 
the program in nine provinces (Badakshan, Takhar, Nangahar, 
Laghman, Kunar, Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul/Uruzgan.  The 
spring program will 1) be driven by existing market networks 
to ensure producers will not over produce for current market 
conditions, 2) work through and strengthen the Afghan 
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food (AMAAHF) 
extension services, and 3) provide business development 
support services for market intermediaries. 
 
Interdiction 
------------ 
 
¶14. (U) National Interdiction Unit (NIU) and CNPA (Counter 
Narcotics Police Afghanistan (CNPA) officers (186 total) 
attended sessions during the five one-week Basic Narcotic 
Investigator Seminars, conducted by the DEA Office of 
International Training. A graduation ceremony for all 
participants was held on December 7 and was attended by 
Deputy Minister of Interior General Daoud and U.S. 
Ambassador Neumann. 
 
¶15. (U) DEA continues to mentor the Border Police and NIU at 
Kabul International Airport and have assisted in the 
apprehension and arrests of four individuals attempting to 
smuggle drugs from Afghanistan to China and India. (December 
7: one Ghana male arrested with 2.7 kg of heroin destined 
for Urumqi, China, 12/10/2005, two female Afghan couriers 
with 5.5 kg of heroin and an Ariana Airlines employee 
destined for New Delhi, India). 
 
Justice Sector Reform 
--------------------- 
¶16. (U) As reported in REF B, the Counter Narcotics (CN) law 
was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. This law 
will greatly enhance the tools available to law enforcement 
to combat narcotics trafficking. The law also allows for the 
extradition, of persons of interest, to the United States. 
 
¶17. (U) The Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the 
construction of the interim Vertical Prosecution Task Force 
facility at the CNPA, are under review and bids should be 
obtained by the end of December. Construction will likely 
start in early January with a target completion date in mid- 
February. 
 
Eradication 
----------- 
 
¶18. (SBU) The Afghan Eradication Force continues 
preparations for the upcoming season. The Afghan Ministry of 
Interior has developed a plan outlining AEF support for 
governor-led eradication during the month of January. 
The first targeted area (according to the UK plan) is 
Nangahar. The addition of aerial assets, further targets and 
eradication locations will be finalized using aerial and 
ground recons. 
 
¶19. (U) Pay problems continue to plague the AEF. We have 
paid the last of the AEF their basic salaries and 
supplements for September and October and have requested 
additional funding from INL (REF C) to support the AEF. The 
Embassy has requested the funding through post's Financial 
Management Office (FMO) for the AEF's November and December 
payroll. 
NEUMANN