VZCZCXRO6732
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #1181/01 0771104
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171104Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5931
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 8319
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 7500
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2987
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 9295
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 5103
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 3811
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 001181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PK PREL MASS
SUBJECT: FATA IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE FOR 03/14/08 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Below is a summary of US Mission Islamabad's 
activities in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas 
(FATA) along its northwest border with Afghanistan during the 
week ending March 14, 2008. 
 
FATA Briefings 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In Peshawar on March 11, DCM briefed the Northwest 
Frontier Province (NWFP) Governor and the Chief 
Minister-elect on the Mission's FATA Development Strategy. 
His remarks were well received and the Governor especially 
appreciated Post's coordination with Political Agents.  The 
Governor requested continued flexibility. 
 
ODRP FATA Programs 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) The first DoD funded equipment (separate from NAS) is 
starting to flow into the FATA, with 20 motorcycles scheduled 
to be delivered to the Frontier Corps on March 15.  Plans 
continue to track for the civilian-military "contact group" 
initiated under a program from the Naval Post-Graduate 
school. In a welcome development, the event was embraced by 
the Army leadership, which approached the NWFP Governor to 
host. 
 
¶4. (U) CENTCOM has decided to transition leadership of the 
Frontier Corps training mission from Army Central Command 
(ARCENT) to Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT). 
ARCENT and SOCCENT representatives will be in Pakistan from 
March 28 to April 10 as part of its transition plan. 
 
¶5. (U) Border Coordination Center (BCC) Torkham becomes 
operational on March 29; RC-East (CJTF-82) is the implementer 
of the BCC concept and has invited Pakistan to attend at the 
two star level, including Major General Pasha, Director 
General Military Operations (DGMO). 
 
¶6. (U) The Inspired Gambit Exercise Final Demo, which will 
include one platoon of the Frontier Corps, is scheduled for 
April 17. 
 
¶7. (U) CENTCOM will conduct a Communications Site Survey of 
the Frontier Corps April 20-30 as a prerequisite to 
installing communications that facilitate command and control 
throughout the FATA and the border with Afghanistan. 
 
USAID FATA Programs 
------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) USAID provided a full briefing to key international 
donors (including the British, Dutch, Canadians, and 
Japanese) who met March 13 to review their projects. Although 
the Netherlands has not yet reinstated aid, Dutch officials 
are preparing for re-engagement. The Japanese noted that they 
may join USAID in an assessment of school-building projects; 
the Japanese, however, have only built four of 65 promised 
schools. USAID noted it plans to create a newsletter 
highlighting progress, issues and success stories related to 
the FATA Development Program.  The first issue is scheduled 
for April 2008. 
 
NAS Programs 
------------- 
 
¶9. (U) March 12, Ambassador Patterson visited the Levy 
Training Center under construction in Khyber Agency. 
Completion is expected in late 2009 and the center will be 
used to support USG and GOP training for the FATA tribal Levy 
security force. NAS will deliver 78 converted 4x4 pick-up 
trucks to Frontier Corps NWFP during the next two weeks. 
These vehicles will be used for the movement of Frontier 
Corps personnel and equipment throughout the FATA. 
 
FATA Overview 
------------- 
 
¶10. (U) Principal Officer Peshawar indicated that the newly 
elected government may press to have the NWFP Civil 
Secretariat combined with the FATA Secretariat as a means of 
 
SIPDIS 
exercising greater control of the FATA bureaucratic machine. 
Such a move would also facilitate training, as personnel 
 
ISLAMABAD 00001181  002 OF 002 
 
 
frequently rotate between the two secretariats. 
 
PATTERSON