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DE RUEHC #4423 0731913
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 141856Z MAR 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0000
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0000
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0000
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0000
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0000
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0000
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0000

UNCLAS STATE 024423 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AF PK UN
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN CONFERENCE: SUGGESTIONS FOR CHAIR 
STATEMENT LANGUAGE 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 3. 
 
¶2.  (U) The key deliverable of the March 31 UN Ministerial 
Conference on Afghanistan is a Chairman's statement to be 
issued under UN SRSG for Afghanistan Kai Eide's name.  In 
preparing the draft statement, SRSG Eide will consult key 
stakeholders including the Dutch, the U.S., the Afghans, and 
others at his discretion. 
 
¶3.  (U) Action request:  Department requests that Ambassador 
deliver the following suggested draft language to the United 
Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for proposed 
inclusion into the Chairman's statement: 
 
-- On March 31, 2009 the international community met to renew 
its support for the Government of the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan and its people in building an Afghanistan that is 
peaceful, secure, democratic, and free from the threat of 
violent extremists who seek to undermine stability and 
prosperity in the region and beyond. 
 
-- We reaffirm the role of the United Nations Assistance 
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as the principal international 
assistance coordinator to ensure coherent and efficient 
assistance efforts. 
 
-- We commend the role of the International Security 
Assistance Force (ISAF) in assisting the Afghan Government to 
improve the security situation and welcome the ongoing 
contributions of all nations providing forces to ISAF. 
 
-- We welcome the Afghanistan and Pakistan Strategic Policy 
Review shared by the United States, which incorporates input 
from many ISAF partners and allies.  (Elements of the review 
outcome will be shared as they become available). 
 
-- In the ongoing effort to promote good governance and more 
efficient, widespread economic development, we agree that 
effective and well-funded civilian assistance programs are as 
necessary as additional military forces and training 
programs. 
 
-- We pledge to ensure Afghanistan does not deteriorate into 
a safe haven for violent extremists who threaten the peace 
and security of both the region and the world. 
 
-- Recognizing the inextricable link between peace in 
Afghanistan and broader regional stability, we agree to 
approach problems shared by Afghanistan and Pakistan - 
violent extremism, narcotics trafficking, economic hardship, 
and weak governance - in a coordinated, strategically 
integrated manner. 
 
-- PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE:  Long-term stability can best 
be assured through established good governance that is 
democratically elected, accountable to the people, 
transparent, and able to meet the needs of its citizens.  In 
furtherance of this goal, we propose to: 
 
-- Support free, safe, and open national and provincial 
elections that are acceptable to the Afghan people by meeting 
our international commitments to assist the Afghan government 
in securing, financing, conducting, and monitoring the 
elections; 
 
-- Develop and strengthen Afghanistan's provincial councils 
and other local government institutions through technical 
assistance programs and civil service training; and 
 
-- Work with Afghan government institutions at both national 
and local levels to promote transparency and continue the 
fight against corruption. 
 
-- ACCELERATING DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH:  Sustainable 
economic growth and widespread development are critical to 
granting local populations a stake in security and 
prosperity.  To promote and encourage these conditions, we 
will: 
 
-- Continue working within the assistance framework 
established by the Afghan National Development Strategy to 
prioritize and meet the development assistance needs of 
Afghanistan; and 
 
-- Boost commercial activity and private investment through 
strengthening regional trade and infrastructure linkages and 
build private-sector capacity through strategic and 
coordinated technical assistance programs. 
 
-- IMPROVING SECURITY:  Capable and self-reliant national 
military and police forces remain fundamental to achieving a 
stable and secure Afghanistan.  To reach this goal, we commit 
to: 
 
-- Develop increasingly self-reliant Afghan National Security 
Forces capable of providing for the safety and security of 
the Afghan people and leading the counterinsurgency effort; 
 
-- Build on our common counternarcotics efforts through 
increased training and assistance and by integrating 
counternarcotics programs into planning for enhanced 
governance, development, and security; and 
 
-- Strengthen Afghanistan's borders by working with Afghan 
National Security Forces, ISAF, and regional partners. 
 
-- ADDRESSING REGIONAL CHALLENGES:  Efforts to bring peace 
and security to Afghanistan depend not only on internal 
factors, but on a peaceful and secure Pakistan.  Taking into 
account the broader regional challenges that pose a threat to 
stability region across the region, we will: 
 
-- Develop a comprehensive and integrated security strategy 
for the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region in conjunction 
with those two countries, NATO/ISAF, and other stakeholders; 
 
-- Work with governments across the region to strengthen 
cooperation on law enforcement, counternarcotics, and customs 
and to improve the security and integrity of national 
borders; and 
 
-- Coordinate regional assistance projects and promote trade 
and transit to address needs and benefit populations on both 
sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and across the 
region. 
 
-- The Pakistan Donors Conference and Friends of Democratic 
Pakistan Ministerial in Tokyo on April 17 are key 
opportunities to demonstrate strong support for Pakistan, 
whose partnership is critical to achieving our goals in 
Afghanistan. 
CLINTON