VZCZCXRO5292
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #5671/01 3381032
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041032Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4394
INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1930
RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3322
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3374

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 005671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR KIMMITT 
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR AF
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL MEETING ON DIAG CONFIRMS GOA SUPPORT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  GOA Ministers and international 
representatives, in a meeting on the Disbandment of 
Illegally Armed Groups (DIAG) process chaired by 
President Karzai, called on the Afghan leadership to 
recommit to the program, stating that it is in the 
interest of the Afghan people and essential to 
establishing a government monopoly on power and 
removing alternative power centers that challenge 
the government.  Parliamentary leaders Abdul Rasul 
Sayyaf, Burhanuddin Rabbani, and Pir Gailani all 
said they supported the program but noted its human 
cost if former fighters are not reintegrated into 
society and helped financially.  Sayyaf also warned 
that many former fighters are recruited by Taliban 
and Al Qaeda because of weaknesses in the 
Disarmament, Demobilization and Rehabilitation (DDR) 
and DIAG programs.  At the end of the meeting, 
President Karzai confirmed GOA support for the 
program and stated the need for funding social 
programs to help former fighters, developing a 
united front with the Parliament, and closing off 
the flow of weapons coming from outside the country. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) President Karzai called a meeting on Nov 22 
with Ministers, international community members, and 
major Parliamentarian/jihadi leaders - Abdul Rasul 
Sayyaf, Burhanuddin Rabbani, and Pir Gailani - to 
discuss how best to get the DIAG program back on 
track.  Deputy Minister of Defense Nuristani briefed 
that while there has been some limited success and 
the people of Afghanistan strongly support the 
program, the political commitment of the Afghan 
leadership has been lukewarm.  Governors in most 
provinces are not doing their job in implementing 
compliance mechanisms.  Many leaders of illegally 
armed groups have powerful sponsors within the GOA. 
In addition, the program managers have not been able 
to develop good information about weapons caches due 
to lack of cooperation from GOA authorities. 
Nuristani said that the program managers have 
sufficient expertise and budget, but need the GOA to 
recommit to the goal. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Japanese Ambassador Kosuge stated that DIAG 
is not just about weapons collection.  It sets the 
conditions for good governance and development. 
Kosuge called on the Parliamentary leaders to play a 
positive role.  UN Deputy Special Representative 
Alexander said that we need to remind ourselves that 
the disarmament process has moved the country from 
disorder to strengthening state institutions as the 
guarantors of order.  He reiterated that DIAG is not 
about collecting weapons from all citizens, rather 
it is intended to remove alternative power centers 
that challenge the government.  He emphasized that 
there is no contradiction between supporting 
counterinsurgency and DIAG.  Indeed, he said, we 
succeed against the Taliban when 1) we have credible 
institutions, and 2) we deny foreign sanctuary to 
the enemy.  DIAG contributes to this objective by 
making institutions stronger.  There must be a state 
monopoly of power. 
 
¶4. (SBU) EU Ambassador Vendrell pointed out that the 
DIAG program is not an imposition from the 
international community - it is something the Afghan 
people want.  Nor is it aimed at any particular 
ethnic group. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Ustad Sayyaf said that he and his 
 
KABUL 00005671  002 OF 003 
 
 
colleagues have supported DDR and DIAG from the 
beginning and still do.  They believe that 
Afghanistan will not be secure and stable until all 
weapons have been collected.  This is the 
requirement of our nation, he added, not imposed 
from outside.  However, he added, it must be 
remembered that most of those who disarmed 
voluntarily are now without jobs.  No more than five 
percent have sources of income.  The rest have four 
choices: 
 
- They can go to Iran or Pakistan for work. 
- They can beg on the streets. 
- Most will be contacted by Al Qaeda or the Taliban, 
who will rearm them.  "I know many who have," he 
added. 
- If they do not have a way of joining the Taliban, 
they will establish their own criminal groups. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Sayyaf said that these last two categories 
of former fighters, who are the most numerous, are 
extremely dangerous.  He added that if we do not pay 
attention to these people, they will become angry 
and take their revenge against the government and 
the foreigners. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Ustad Rabbani supported Sayyaf,s point by 
saying that we cannot ignore the social side of 
disarmament and disbandment.  He said people need to 
be convinced that it is in their interest to 
participate and that their financial needs will be 
looked after.  People should not be made to feel 
they are criminals, or they will become criminals. 
He argued that there should be a specific budget 
allotment to support those who have been disarmed. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Pir Gailani added that in some areas where 
weapons have been collected, people have been become 
vulnerable due to Taliban presence in their home 
areas.  Without weapons, they have no way to resist. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Former DDR Commission Chairman Stanakzai 
said that several things needed to be done.  The GOA 
and international community must develop a unified, 
clear message to explain to people what is being 
done and why it is in their interest.  Secondly, The 
GOA should establish a joint committee, to include 
Parliamentarians, to get the message out.  In 
Kapisa, for example, Members of Parliament have made 
unhelpful statements.  There should also be more 
political pressure on interdicting arms coming in 
from outside Afghanistan, and the effort to build 
security institutions should be accelerated, with 
help from the international community. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Senior Advisor Arsala pointed out that 
within the GOA budget there are no resources for 
social programs to support DIAG.  He said that 
billions of dollars are being spent, but not on 
programs with direct positive impact. 
 
¶11. (SBU) President Karzai summarized the meeting as 
follows: 
 
 - Afghanistan fully supports this program. 
 
-  For successful implementation, we need to look at 
the social costs.  There has been loss of employment 
and of income.  We need to make sure that former 
fighters are not excluded from society.  This is 
extremely important for the war against terror and 
 
KABUL 00005671  003 OF 003 
 
 
national security.  He backed the call to set aside 
some budget to support these people. 
 
-  Former Minister Stanakzai,s remarks on the 
creation of a united front in Parliament were also 
extremely important. 
 
- Arms coming from outside are a primary security 
challenge that we are working on. 
NEUMANN