VZCZCXRO2746
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1225 1021348
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121348Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7450
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS KABUL 001225 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/A (MBRADLEY), PM/WRA (SHARRIS, DHADRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV MARR MASS AF
SUBJECT: GOA PREPARING FOR GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR MINE 
ACTION 
 
 
¶1. The MFA hosted an annual conference on humanitarian mine 
action (HMA) April 25 in Kabul, inviting key donors to a 
meeting to discuss current Afghan HMA issues and the broader 
international/Afghan community to a USG (STATE/PM/WRA) 
sponsored dinner to mark International Mine Action Awareness 
Day. Donor representatives present included: the United 
States, the EU, Japan, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the 
Netherlands, and Germany, as well as the United Nations Mine 
Action (UNMACA).  (Note: The Canadian rep announced that 
Canada had just pledged 20 million Canadian dollars to mine 
action in Afghanistan. End Note) During remarks at the donor 
meeting and subsequent dinner, FM Spanta and other MFA 
officials emphasized that the GOA wants to begin an 
incremental transition toward assuming Afghan lead 
responsibility from UNMACA for mine efforts in Afghanistan. 
Spanta said that the GOA is drafting legislation for a Mine 
Action Basic Law which will establish the framework for the 
GOA to assume lead responsibility for demining activities in 
Afghanistan. (Note: MFA officials reported that the draft has 
not yet been submitted to the Cabinet for approval. They 
expressed confidence the legislation would be passed fairly 
"soon" but were not yet able to provide an estimated 
time-line. End Note) Spanta stressed the need for continued 
support from international donors in the face of anticipated 
declining budgets for mine action. 
 
¶2. Deputy Finance Minister Shirani addressed the conference 
and urged donors to contribute funds directly to the GOA core 
budget. However, he said the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund 
(ARTF), managed by the World Bank, offered another mechanism 
for donations and that donors could earmark additional funds 
specifically for mine action. In this context, he emphasized 
that, given existing ARTF commitments and projections, it 
would be "very difficult" to fund mine action from ARTF 
without additional contributions to the fund specifically for 
that purpose. 
 
¶3. United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Director Max 
Gaylard highlighted Afghanistan's international contribution 
to demining through participation of Afghan demining experts 
in different programs around the world. However, he said that 
"much remains to be done in Afghanistan," and "time is 
short," given Afghanistan's international commitment to clear 
all known mine fields by 2013.  Gaylard argued that another 
factor increasing the urgency for mine action in Afghanistan 
is that donor interest will wane, as other major problems 
(e.g., HIV, malaria) compete for their interest and support. 
Thus, Afghanistan needs to make the most of the resources 
that it receives for demining.  In that context he underlined 
that UNMACA would be working with Afghan and international 
partners to achieve greater efficiency in demining in 
Afghanistan.  To that end, Gaylard said UNMACA's plans for FY 
1386 would include the introduction of new methodologies, 
placing more Afghans in senior positions at UNMACA, and 
introducing more mechanical equipment to demining operations 
in Afghanistan. 
 
¶4. At the MFA-hosted, UNMACA-organized dinner to mark 
International Mine Action Awareness Day, the MFA warmly 
praised the United States for sponsoring the event, and an 
Afghan demining manager working for UNMACA gave a moving 
presentation on the importance of humanitarian mine action to 
the future of Afghanistan. 
NORLAND