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OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #5237/01 3020322
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290322Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3780
RUCPDC/USDOC WASHDC
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0188
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0200

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 005237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TPP DAS CHRIS MOORE and EB/TPP/BTA/ANA:MBGOODMAN 
DEPT FOR SCA FRONT OFFICE (DAS GASTRIGHT) AND SCA/A 
DEPT PASS AID/ANE 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR HARTWICK, KLEIN, AND GERBER 
USDOC FOR SHAMROCK AND DFONOVICH 
TREASURY PASS TO ANDY BAUKOL 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR BRZEZINSKI 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV AF
SUBJECT: VISIT OF AFGHAN COMMERCE MINISTER FARHANG: NEED FOR ACTIVE 
GOA ENGAGEMENT ON THE PRESIDENT'S RECONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITY ZONE 
INITIATIVE 
 
KABUL 00005237  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
(U) This cable contains SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION, 
Please protect accordingly.  Not for INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Economic Counselor twice in the past week raised 
with Minister of Commerce and Industries Farhang the need for active 
GoA engagement on the President's Reconstruction Opportunity Zone 
initiative.  Econcouns reported that the AID-funded U.S. ROZ study 
team was completing the final draft of its report and would be 
presenting conclusions to the U.S. interagency team the week of 
10/23.  The Minister, who had met at length with the study team in 
late September, confirmed that his Ministry intends to take the lead 
role within the GoA in developing ROZ policy and recommendations. 
Minister Farhang's travel the week of October 28, to Washington 
presents a great opportunity for USG interlocutors to engage him 
further on ROZs and other critical commercial policy and business 
development issues.  Septel will address a range of other key 
economic policy areas where we can usefully engage the Minister. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Econcouns used meeting with Minister of Commerce and 
Industries M. Amin Farhang on October 17 to press for more vigorous 
GoA engagement on President Bush's  Reconstruction Opportunity Zone 
initiative with Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Farhang was accompanied 
by his new senior adviser, Mohammed Shah Hachemi.  Econcouns 
reported that the AID-funded U.S. ROZ study team was completing the 
final draft of its report and would be presenting conclusions to the 
U.S. interagency team the week of 10/23.  The Minister, who had met 
at length with the study team in late September, confirmed that his 
Ministry intends to take the lead role within the GoA in developing 
ROZ policy and recommendations.   With release of the report, 
Econcouns elaborated that Washington will be very eager for Afghan 
perspectives and timely input into the ROZ policy process. 
Furthermore, ROZs could be expected to feature on the Prosperity 
Working Group agenda for the upcoming Strategic Partnership 
session. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Econcouns again raised our interest in identifying a 
principal GoA point of contact with whom to liaise as the ROZ 
initiative moves forward.  The Ministry also needed to play a lead 
role in developing GoA positions on the ROZ initiative, and engaging 
other appropriate GoA Ministries (e.g., Finance/Investment Support 
Agency), including on consideration of product selection and ROZ 
location within Afghanistan.   In response, Farhang asked his senior 
adviser, Mohammed Shah Hachemi to take on this contact point role. 
Additionally, we reiterated Washington's offer to arrange a possible 
Afghan-Pakistani delegation for a study/visit to either Egypt and/or 
Jordan to better understand how the ROZ model has functioned, and 
how similar benefits could be derived from the ROZ initiative with 
Afghanistan and Pakistan.  We proposed that Farhang's Ministry take 
the lead with us in organizing the proposed study/visit, and use it 
as a means to engage interagency involvement and coordination on ROZ 
policy.  The Minister agreed that MoCI might reach out to other key 
GoA Ministries that could usefully participate.  We also raised the 
possibility of including one or two private sector representatives. 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Subsequently, Econcouns and Deputy spoke to the Minister 
and Hachemi again on 10/19.  Pursuant to our earlier conversation, 
Hachemi reported that he just had organized an internal MoCI meeting 
to begin to address issues raised related to ROZ policy and 
preparations for the Minister's trip.  Hachemi, who departed Kabul 
in advance of Minister Farhang, indicated that he would accompany 
the Minister to DC and expected to participate in his bilateral 
meetings. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  Embassy is in contact with embassy Islamabad to 
explore prospects for making the ROZ study/visit a joint 
 
KABUL 00005237  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Afghan-Pakistani activity.  AID Kabul has confirmed its ability to 
fund and support arrangements for Afghan participants, but would not 
be able to fund Pakistani representatives.  This was our third 
meeting with Farhang since he took office in late August, in which 
we have prominently raised our eagerness to work together closely to 
advance the ROZ initiative.  He was also one of four GoA Ministers 
briefed extensively by the ROZ team, and has continued to express 
interest and a desire to work with us on this initiative. 
Nonetheless, his recent assumption of this Ministerial portfolio and 
focus on a range of other pressing economic policy matters has to 
date made him and his Ministry a rather tentative partner on ROZs. 
We strongly recommend that Washington agencies use their meetings 
with Minister Farhang to our desire to work closely and press for 
stronger MoCI leadership in developing Afghan policy interests and 
recommendations on development of ROZs.  Septel will address a range 
of other critical economic policy areas where we can usefully engage 
the Minister. 
 
NEUMANN