VZCZCXRO5218
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1284/01 0831343
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241343Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9104
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2341
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2546
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5716
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1183

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 001284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
 
STATE FOR SA/FO, SA/A, S/CT, SA/PAB, EUR/RPM, INL 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL AF UK
SUBJECT: PRT/LASHKAR GAH - UK OFFICIALS DISCUSS 
TRANSITION WITH PROVINCIAL COUNCIL AND MULLAHS' 
COUNCIL 
 
KABUL 00001284  001.4 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  UK officials told Provincial 
Council (PC) and Mullahs' Council members in 
separate meetings on March 19 that the UK mission 
will last at least three years.  The mission is in 
conjunction with the GOA and will focus on several 
areas:  (1) Extending the government's authority 
throughout the country; (2) strengthening security 
government institutions; (3) implementing programs 
for social and economic development; and (4) 
assisting the government in counternarcotics.  PC 
members and mullahs said that security, along with 
the destabilizing effect of Pakistan, is of 
paramount concern.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  As part of its transition activities, UK 
civilian and military officials conducted two shuras 
(council meetings) in Lashkar Gah on March 19.  The 
first session was with four PC members, including 
deputy chairman Haji Qurban Ali Urozgani, Al-haj 
Mohammed Hassan, Haji Din Mohammed, and Salima 
Sharifi.  The second session included 10 mullahs 
from Lashkar Gah and the nearby districts, led by 
the head of the Mullahs' council, Mullah Ahmad.  The 
head mullah of Lashkar Gah, Mouwi Qari Mukhter Ahmad 
Haqani was part of this group.  UK participants 
included Colonel Gordon Messenger, UK Task Force 
Commander, Lt. Col. Henry Worsley, incoming PRT 
commander, Nick Kay, the Foreign and Commonwealth 
Office (FCO) Regional Coordinator, and Susan 
Crombie, the FCO political officer assigned to the 
PRT. 
 
--------------------- 
WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The UK officials provided the same 
briefing to the PC members and the mullahs.  After 
an introduction (in Pashto) by Lt. Col. Worsley 
describing how the UK is in the midst of a campaign 
to explain to district and other councils the UK 
deployment, Mr. Kay said that, the UK mission is in 
accordance with UN resolutions and at the request of 
the GOA.  The mission intends to help the GOA extend 
its authority throughout Helmand; improve security 
and justice; strengthen government institutions; and 
advance social and economic development; and assist 
the government in counternarcotics.  The effort will 
be international, to include Denmark, Estonia, and 
the United States.  He emphasized that all 
activities will be done in partnership with the GOA. 
Ms. Crombie added that the UK is in Afghanistan to 
support the democratically elected government. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Concerning development assistance, Mr. 
Kay noted that there will be a representative from 
the Department for International Development (DFID) 
at the PRT.  However, most of DFID's assistance will 
be channeled through the GOA.  The focus of PRT 
funding will be in support of, and through sub- 
national government structures.  The goal of the UK 
approach is, to the extent possible, have citizens 
see that assistance is coming from their own 
government. 
 
 
KABUL 00001284  002.4 OF 003 
 
 
------------------- 
SECURITY IS THE KEY 
------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Col. Messenger said that security is the 
top UK priority.  The UK deployment will include 
about 2,000 troops who will be co-located with an 
Afghan National Army (ANA) brigade at a new base 
being constructed about 40 kilometers west of 
Gereshk, the second largest town in Helmand.  The UK 
and ANA troops will represent a ten-fold increase in 
available troops.  The UK approach will be to work 
closely with the local population.  Troops will 
patrol in all parts of the province, including the 
southern border with Pakistan.  All UK activities 
will be performed jointly with ANA and Afghan 
National Police (ANP) counterparts.  Concerning 
counternarcotics, Col. Messenger said that no UK 
military personnel will be eradicating poppy; 
however, part of the UK mission is to support the 
government in its counternarcotics efforts.  He 
noted that, the UK personnel are "guests" in 
Afghanistan and will be culturally sensitive during 
their deployment.  He closed by telling the 
audiences that, "as a partnership, we can make life 
better for Afghanistan." 
 
------------------------- 
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL REACTS 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Deputy Chairman Urozgani said that from 
what he has heard, people are glad that the UK is 
paying attention to the security issue.  He 
emphasized the need to secure Helmand's borders, 
since the border issue relates to both security and 
narcotics smuggling.  He opined that, to a great 
extent, divisive elements in Pakistan are trying to 
destabilize Afghanistan.  PC member Din Mohammed 
said that, in addition to security, UK assistance on 
the corruption issue will be most welcome.  He noted 
that morale is low among many citizens due to the 
pervasive corruption. He also urged the UK to 
pressure Pakistan to cease helping the Taliban.  Din 
Mohammed also suggested that the UK should help 
improve roads and communications; this will have a 
positive impact on security. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Concerning the poppy issue, Mohammed 
Hassan said that many of the farmers facing 
eradication are "very poor."  He urged the UK to 
provide direct assistance to those farmers, 
especially providing seeds for corn, cotton, and 
wheat.  He cautioned that if assistance is not 
provided directly, those who most need it will not 
receive it, due to corruption. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  PC members also discussed the problem of 
many schools being closed due to Taliban 
intimidation and burnings.  Mr. Urozgani noted that 
many Afghans are studying in Pakistani religious 
institutions that encourage those who return to 
Afghanistna to work against the government - this 
situation has contributed to the deterioration in 
the province's education system. 
 
KABUL 00001284  003.4 OF 003 
 
 
 
----------------------------- 
WHAT THE MULLAHS ARE THINKING 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  The head of the Mullahs' Council, Mullah 
Ahmad, expressed appreciation that the UK officials 
brought the two sides together to discuss the 
upcoming UK deployment.  He noted that importance of 
the mullahs as a bridge between the government and 
the people.  Other mullahs sounded themes similar to 
the PC members.  One lamented the number of Afghan 
students studying in extremist Pakistani religious 
institutions, who then bring "bad ideas" back to 
Afghanistan.  From this statement, he segued to the 
need for building more religious schools in Helmand. 
Another mullah appealed to the UK officials for 
additional support.  Mullah Haqani, the head mullah 
at the main Lashkar Gah mosque, said that it is 
important for the people to support the government 
in order to improve security.  He said that the 
relationship with the U.S. was positive; he expected 
that this will also be true with the UK.  The 
mullahs agreed that they should meet monthly with 
the PRT. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Regarding poppy, Mullah Haqani said that 
growing poppy per se is not against the Koran. 
However, if it is used for making illegal narcotics, 
then it is prohibited.  Mullah Haqani also stated 
that the use of opium and heroin is increasing among 
Helmand citizens, including women and young people. 
He noted that, while eradication is important, it 
should be followed closely by alternative 
livelihoods assistance.  Concerning education, 
Haqani said that "all children" should be educated. 
Despite what some "uneducated" people say, there is 
nothing in the Koran that prohibits education. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Beyond the Pakistan bashing, both the PC 
and the Mullahs' council appeared pleased that the 
UK officials reached out to discuss the transition 
and the UK deployment.  The more robust security 
posture was especially well received.  That the UK 
officials made clear on how development assistance 
will be administered was also important.  Whether or 
not the audiences fully grasped that the UK PRT 
approach to development may be very different to 
that of the U.S. PRT is still an open question. 
 
NORLAND