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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000145 
 
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 
USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EAGR EINV PK AF
SUBJECT: SENATOR REED MEETS WITH FIRST VICE PRESIDENT MASOOD 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  IN A MEETING WITH SENATOR REED, FIRST 
VICE PRESIDENT MASOOD STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE 
AGRICULTURAL AND MINERALS SECTORS, FOR AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE. 
THE SENATOR ASSURED HIM OF THE UNITED STATES' LONG-TERM 
COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN.  AMBASSADOR NEUMANN GAVE THE VICE 
PRESIDENT SOME GUIDANCE ON HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY APPROACH 
THE ARAB STATES FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE RUN UP TO 
THE LONDON CONFERENCE, ADVISING HIM TO PRESENT 
WELL-THOUGHT-OUT REQUESTS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT WERE 
TIED INTO AFGHANISTAN'S OVERALL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, IN 
ORDER TO COUNTER SOME ARAB PERCEPTIONS THAT THAT GOA WAS 
DISORGANIZED.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  ON JANUARY 8, SENATOR JACK REED (D-RI), 
ACCOMPANIED BY AMBASSADOR AND USAID DIRECTOR, MET WITH FIRST 
VICE PRESIDENT AHMED ZIA MASOOD.  THE VICE PRESIDENT THANKED 
THE SENATOR FOR U.S. LEADERSHIP IN HELPING AFGHANISTAN MOVE 
TOWARDS DEMOCRACY, AND STATED THAT THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL 
PROGRESS HAD BEEN EXEMPLIFIED BY THE SUCCESSFUL ELECTION OF 
THE NEW PARLIAMENT.  MASOOD THEN EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE 
ATTENTION COULD NOW BE FOCUSED ON AFGHANISTAN'S ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT.  SENATOR REED RESPONDED THAT ECONOMIC AND 
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT GO HAND IN AND HAND AND THAT THE U.S. 
HAS BEEN A STRONG PARTNER IN BOTH AREAS.  HE CAUTIONED THAT 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IN PARTICULAR CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH 
EDUCATION, WOULD TAKE MANY YEARS, BUT ASSURED MASOOD THAT 
U.S. WAS COMMITTED TO AFGHANISTAN FOR THE LONG TERM. MASOOD 
SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT AFGHANISTAN'S DEPENDENCE ON AGRICULTURE 
AND ITS WEALTH OF NATURAL RESOURCES (GAS AND PETROLEUM 
RESERVES VALUED AT USD 400 MILLION), BOTH SECTORS WHICH 
NEEDED TO BE DEVELOPED WITH NEW PRACTICES/TECHNIQUES AND MORE 
INVESTMENT.  IF AFGHANISTAN WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT MORE 
INVESTMENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT POINTED OUT, SOME OF THE 
FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE U.S. TAXPAYER WOULD BE LIFTED. 
SENATOR REED RESPONDED THAT USAID WAS FOCUSING ON IMPROVING 
BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS ROADS AND ELECTRICITY; WITH 
REGARD TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AFGHANISTAN NEEDED TO ENSURE 
ITS LAWS ON REPATRIATION OF PROFITS, ETC., WERE ACCEPTABLE TO 
INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS, ISSUES WHICH NEEDED TO BE 
COORDINATED WITH THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  MASOOD EXPLAINED THAT AFGHANISTAN WAS IN A SPECIAL 
POSITION.  IT IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WITH A 
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, UNLIKE THOSE OF ITS NEIGHBORS, A 
UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO U.S. SUPPORT. 
MASOOD WOULD LIKE AFGHANISTAN TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF ECONOMIC 
PROGRESS AS WELL.  HE DISCUSSED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH 
PAKISTAN, NOTING THAT RELIGIOUS EXTREMISTS COULD HARM THE 
STABILITY OF BOTH COUNTRIES' GOVERNMENTS, BUT THAT ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT WOULD "MUTE THEIR VOICES"; HE ENCOURAGED MORE 
ECONOMIC LINKS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.  HE REFERRED TO 
FORMER PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO'S ALLOWING THE JAMIAT 
ISLAMI PARTY TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS, WITH THE RESULT 
THAT THEY ONLY WON FIVE SEATS. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  AMBASSADOR NEUMANN THEN DISCUSSED DIFFERENT WAYS 
TO APPROACH THE GULF STATES FOR DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN THE 
RUN UP TO THE LONDON CONFERENCE, NOTING THAT THESE COUNTRIES 
HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT AFGHAN LEADERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE A 
CLEAR VISION ABOUT ITS NEEDS AND IS NOT WELL ORGANIZED IN ITS 
APPROACH.  THE AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZED THAT FROM SECRETARY RICE 
ON, WE ARE PUSHING FOR ASSISTANCE.  HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF KABUL'S DEMONSTRATING TO THE GULF COUNTRIES HOW 
MUCH MORE FOCUSED THE GOA HAS BECOME, AND ALSO OF PROPOSING 
VERY SPECIFIC PROJECTS FOR THEM TO INVEST IN.  MASOOD 
RESPONDED BY SAYING HE WAS MEETING WITH SEVERAL ARAB 
COUNTRIES AFTER HE COMPLETED THE UMRA HAJ AND THAT THE SAUDIS 
WERE VERY INTERESTED IN BUILDING CULTURAL CENTERS AND 
RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS.  THE AMBASSADOR SAID THAT, WHILE THE 
SAUDIS WERE ALWAYS KEEN TO CONSTRUCT MOSQUES, THEY ARE ALSO 
ABLE TO INVEST IN LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, SUCH AS A 
STRETCH OF THE KANDAHAR-HERAT HIGHWAY THAT THEY HAVE FUNDED. 
THEY COULD BE ENCOURAGED TO DO MORE BY HEARING A 
WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PRESENTATION, BASED HEAVILY ON THE AFGHAN 
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND THE LONDON CONFERENCE 
DOCUMENTS, LAYING OUT SPECIFIC GOALS (E.G., IN ROADS AND 
ELECTRICITY).  HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE GULF STATES PREFERRED 
TO FINANCE LARGE, STAND-ALONE PROJECTS (RATHER THAN PART OF A 
LARGER PROJECT) FOR WHICH THEY CAN TAKE FULL CREDIT.  THE 
AMBASSADOR RECOMMENDED THAT MASOOD BRIG A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE 
GROUP OF TECHNICAL EXPERTS WITH HIM ON HIS TRIPS, A TEAM THAT 
COULD STAY BEHIND TO DISCUSS PROPOSALS IN DETAIL.  THE USAID 
DIRECTOR SAID HE COULD PROVIDE THE VICE PRESIDENT WITH COPIES 
OF THE DEVELOPMENT PAPERS PREPARED FOR THE LONDON CONFERENCE, 
AND ALSO OFFERED THE SERVICES OF ONE OF USAID'S POWER 
EXPERTS.  MASOOD WAS QUITE RECEPTIVE AND SUGGESTED THEY GET 
IN TOUCH AFTER EID. 
 
¶5.  (U)  SENATOR REED DID NOT CLEAR THIS CABLE BEFORE HE 
DEPARTED POST. 
NORLAND