VZCZCXRO3158
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0979 1581424
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061424Z JUN 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1754
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000979 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PREL EAID
SUBJECT: PREPARATORY MEETING FOR BERLIN CONFERENCE ON 
PALESTINIAN CIVIL SECURITY AND RULE OF LAW 
 
REF: BERLIN 565 
 
 ¶1. SUMMARY.  Palestinian Authority (PA) representatives 
briefed proposals for police/justice sector donor funding for 
the June 24 Berlin conference at a German-chaired, June 5 
meeting in Jericho.  The representatives said the proposals 
are consistent with the Palestinian Reconstruction and 
Development Plan (PRDP) presented to donors in Paris.  At 
least seven countries have confirmed Foreign Minister-level 
participation at the Berlin conference and participants said 
PM Fayyad will attend and that Israeli FM Tzipi Livni is 
considering attending.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PROJECT-ORIENTED APPROACH 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. German Ambassador Andreas Michaelis, Director-General for 
Near and Middle Eastern Affairs, chaired a preparatory 
meeting on June 5 in Jericho for the June 24 Berlin 
conference on assistance to the Palestinian police, justice 
sector and rule of law.  PA Ministry of Interior (MoI) 
representative Khalid Salim said Palestinian project 
proposals are within the framework of the PRDP and reflect PA 
priorities.  He said the proposals include budgets, timelines 
and progress indicators and are not simply concept papers. 
Ministry of Planning Director-General for Aid Management 
Cairo Arafat said the PA's highest priority remains direct 
budget support, but there are crucial PRDP projects in this 
sector that represent PA priorities. 
 
¶3.  Khalid Salim said the proposed projects address 
shortfalls such as lack of a sufficient legal framework, 
inadequate equipment and transportation, and poor police 
infrastructure.  A document prepared for the PA Justice 
Ministry/Judicial Authority/Prosecutor General prioritizes 
Berlin proposals as: a) modern courthouses and prosecutor 
offices; b) a forensic medical institute; and c) development 
of prosecution capacity.  The PA police listed 14 projects: 8 
in infrastructure improvements, 5 in training/staff 
development and 1 in strategic communications. 
 
GERMANY: "BERLIN NOT INTENDED 
AS PLEDGING CONFERENCE" 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4. While German representatives have been careful not to bill 
the Berlin conference as a pledging event, the PA and several 
other participants state that Berlin should involve specific 
pledges and rely on a project-based approach for PA donor 
funding.  (Note: The Director of EUPOLCOPPS, the EU's police 
training and assistance team, has repeatedly told PolOffs 
that he expects specific pledges for police assistance to 
result from the Berlin meeting.  EU Envoy Marc Otte told the 
Consul General that he sees Berlin as "a little of both."  He 
expects donors to announce support for PA projects in Berlin, 
but most will rely on unallocated funds from Paris pledges, 
meaning the Germans are technically correct that Berlin is 
not a pledging conference.  End note). 
 
 
FUNDING MECHANISMS 
------------------ 
 
¶5. Ministry of Finance Director-General for International 
Relations Mazen Jadallah briefed the group on the PA,s 
efforts to strengthen the public financial management system. 
 He noted that the PA,s preference is for donors to 
contribute directly to the Ministry of Finance's Single 
Treasury Account (STA), an approach that has been supported 
by the World Bank and IMF.  He emphasized the system's 
transparency, reliability, and accountability.  The EU 
representative offered the PEGASE mechanism as an additional 
means by which donors could provide assistance to the PA. 
 
 
EXPECTED PARTICIPATION 
---------------------- 
 
¶6.  Participants indicated that Canada, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, 
Netherlands, Sweden, and Turkey will participate at the 
Foreign Minister-level.  10 other countries' attendance is 
pending confirmation, including Israel.  PA reps indicated 
that PM Fayyad will attend, 
WALLES