VZCZCXRO5835
OO RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0900 1010439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110439Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8329
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 000900 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
USFOR-A FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID AF
SUBJECT: KUNAR AND NURISTAN PROVINCES HOLD JOINT SHURA 
 
¶1. Summary.  Kunar Governor Wahidi and Nuristan Governor 
Jamaluddin convened in Asadabad the first-ever joint shura of 
some 250 tribal elders and local officials representing the 
border districts in both provinces.  The gathering focused on 
the serious security challenges along the Kunar-Nuristan 
border and the need for joint action to counter the &foreign 
Taliban threat.8  End Summary. 
 
Inter-provincial Shura Blames 
Insecurity on &Foreign Taliban8 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. On March 26, a first-ever inter-provincial shura was held 
in Asadabad (capital of Kunar province) which brought 
together 250 tribal elders and local officials from Kunar and 
Nuristan provinces to discuss the security threat to the two 
provinces.  The shura was generally supportive of the 
Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), coalition forces, and 
the Afghan government, and blamed insecurity on &foreign 
Taliban8 from Pakistan. 
 
¶3. A common theme was the need for Afghans to unite to work 
with the international community to defeat insurgents.  Even 
though Afghan Taliban are easily manipulated by foreign 
Taliban, the shura encouraged tribal elders to reconcile 
them.  One representative said that when united, Afghans can 
defeat any foreign invader, including these foreign Taliban. 
Another said that Afghans must take responsibility for their 
own security before America pulls its troops out of 
Afghanistan, as they are doing from Iraq.  There was some 
dissension between the representatives over which province 
contributes most to instability in the region, but Nuristan 
Governor Jamaluddin successfully persuaded the delegates to 
stop blaming each other and focus on the real problem of 
insurgents penetrating villages in both provinces. 
 
¶4. Both governors said they were extremely pleased with the 
high level of participation and debate at the shura; they 
were confident border cooperation would improve as a result 
of the initiatives launched at the shura.  The border 
district representatives agreed with the governors, proposal 
to form a 15-person permanent shura comprised of religious, 
tribal, and former mujaheddin representatives from the border 
districts.  The joint shura would convene on a monthly basis 
to address security problems on both sides of the border, and 
would select a representative to attend the 
coalition-sponsored monthly governors' conference. 
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