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DE RUEHC #3031/01 2230036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110018Z AUG 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 8990

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 083031 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF PREL PGOV KPAO
SUBJECT: COORDINATING OUR AFGHAN ELECTIONS MESSAGING 
 
1.(SBU) FOR THE CHIEF OF MISSION.  This is an action request, 
see paragraph 7. 
 
2.(SBU) President Obama has called the August 20 Afghan 
elections the most important event occurring in Afghanistan 
this year.  38 candidates will run for the Presidency and 
3,196 candidates for the 420 seats in the 34 provincial 
councils.  In our effort to support these Afghan-led elections 
and provide comprehensive strategic communication guidance to 
Missions around the world, Washington has devised an 
interagency approved strategy that summarizes key decision 
points, as well as messages and messengers for the forthcoming 
election and post-election periods. 
 
¶3. (SBU) U.S. Government objectives for these elections are 
that (a) Afghan institutions lead and conduct secure, 
credible, and inclusive presidential and provincial council 
elections on August 20, 2009; (b) the people of Afghanistan 
understand their rights, support the elections and exercise 
their right to vote; (c) the U. S. and international partners, 
working through the United Nations and International Security 
Assistance Force (ISAF), actively strengthen the capacity of 
Afghan institutions and mechanisms for elections (This 
includes working toward a "level playing field" for all 
candidates.); and (d) the people of Afghanistan understand 
that the U.S. will remain impartial, neither opposing nor 
supporting any particular Afghan Presidential or Provincial 
Council candidate. 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) All U.S. Government officials should: (a) avoid 
speculation about election security, credibility, inclusivity 
or viability of 1st / 2nd rounds; (b) avoid predicting a 
winner or impact/occurrence of fraud.  In the event of severe 
security or political incidents, e.g. widespread civil unrest 
or death of a candidate, comments should focus on the 
obligation of the Afghan Government and its institutions to 
follow national laws, and U.S. government intent to help the 
Afghan government protect the people. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) The following mechanisms will coordinate messages. 
In Kabul, the U.S. Embassy-led communications working group 
will coordinate messaging and media contacts with U.S. Forces- 
Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force 
(ISAF) and the Combined Security Transition Command- 
Afghanistan.  It will feed into the Kabul Election Operations 
Center, which will be running 24/7 from August 19-22.  The 
Afghan Government is coordinating security messaging, and the 
IEC will begin to coordinate election messages this week. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Washington-based coordinating body for the Afghan 
elections will be a task force located at the State 
Department's Operation Center.  It will mirror the Kabul 
Operations Center, operating 24/7 from August 19-22, and 
longer if necessary. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The two task forces will produce regular situation 
reports, including messaging guidance as necessary.  For 
Kabul, Islamabad, Seoul, Tokyo, New Delhi, Doha, USEU, USNATO, 
NATEU Capitals, USUN, Amman, Sarajevo, Skopje, Bern, Bogota, 
Canberra, Wellington, Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Manama, Muscat, 
Kuwait City, Baku, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Kiev, Dushanbe, Tashkent, 
Bishkek, Astana, Ashgabat, Moscow, Beijing and Cairo:  Posts 
are requested to identify points of contact to whom task 
force/messaging updates should be sent.  Post should send 
names to S/SRAP Sajit Gandhi via email (gandhisx@state.gov) by 
Thursday August 13.  Guidance will also be posted to 
https://www.intelink.gov/wiki/portal:afghanis tan_elections_2009. 
Posts can draw on both sources for their interactions with 
hosts. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Messages will also be disseminated via normal White 
House and State press release channels and websites and a 
direct email distribution list to the international SRAP 
group. Talking points will also be pushed out through the 
State media hubs and infocentral. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Our themes and messages will evolve over the course 
of the three broad phases.  Phase 1 will take place between 
now and polling day on August 20; phase 2 from August 20 until 
a winner is announced; and phase 3 from the announcement of 
the final results until the inauguration.   Where possible, we 
will use UNAMA's coordinated talking points for core messages. 
During the first phase messaging can largely be predicted and 
based around the core messages listed below. 
 
STATE 00083031  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) During the second phase, the messages will vary 
according to the initial and final results.  The international 
community (including Afghanistan's neighbors) in particular, 
will need to stand with one voice where possible.  These 
messages, as they are developed, will be sent to the person 
Post identifies as its point of contact (see paragraph 7). 
 
¶11. (SBU) During the third phase we will need to finalize our 
post-election planning with the new President and his 
government to set out a vision that takes Afghanistan forward 
for the next five years, and sets the context for 
international contributions. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Posts are requested to draw from the following 
themes: 
 
Begin Talking Points: 
Key Messages: 
-- As President Obama said on June 16th, the Presidential and 
the 34 provincial council elections are the most important 
event in Afghanistan this year. We are seeing the development 
of institutions that the Afghan people use to represent their 
views. 
 
-- The United States is impartial: we do not support or oppose 
any particular candidates. 
 
-- We want to see elections that are credible, secure and 
inclusive, with a legitimate outcome that is accepted by the 
Afghan people and by the world. 
 
-- Elections are rarely perfect.  We nonetheless expect every 
effort to be made to ensure the integrity of the voting 
process and minimization of fraud. 
 
--These elections are the first that have been organized by 
Afghan authorities since the 1970s.  They are taking place in 
challenging circumstances:  Afghanistan should be given credit 
for maintaining its commitment to holding elections in such 
conditions. 
-- We expect the new President, once inaugurated, to take 
immediate, decisive action to set out and deliver a reform 
agenda, including expansion of the security forces, tackling 
corruption through accountability and transparency mechanisms 
so Afghans can see where money is being spent, reintegration 
of former insurgents and working with its neighbors to promote 
stability and security. 
IF RAISED: 
Voter turnout: 
-- Over four and half million new voters have registered to 
vote in this year's elections, and interest will likely 
increase as Election Day draws near. That is 17 million people 
in total. 
-- Because the security situation we believe that there are 
some areas where people won't be able to vote. But we believe 
that the overwhelming majority of the population will be able 
to get out and make their choice of representatives. 
 
Fraud: 
-- Fraud is unacceptable and an insult to those Afghans who 
are working for a better future. 
 --   We continue to encourage Afghan authorities to implement 
comprehensive anti-fraud measures to protect the integrity of 
the election process and ensure that the election results are 
credible.  These measures are based on international best 
practices and are intended to prevent and detect attempted 
fraud. 
-- We anticipate around 7000 Afghan and 300-400 international 
observers will have a presence in all 34 provinces.  They, 
along with representatives of the candidates, will play a 
crucial role in minimizing the opportunities for fraud and 
spotting it where it happens. 
-- We are also encouraging the Electoral Complaints Commission 
and Media Commission to continue to fully addressing 
complaints wherever they may arise. 
Security: 
-- Delivery of security will be vital in ensuring the 
elections can go ahead.  We expect insurgents will attempt to 
intimidate voters and disrupt the process.  The Afghan and 
international security forces are working closely together to 
deliver the best possible security on polling day. 
 
-- Operations in Helmand, for example, mean that over a 
hundred polling stations, that could not previously open, will 
now do so.  Nationwide, we anticipate there will be more 
polling stations open than during the 2004 and 2005 elections. 
-- There will always be a small minority of people who attempt 
to subvert the right of the people to choose their own 
leaders.  However we believe the many safeguards in place will 
protect the integrity of the elections. 
 
STATE 00083031  003 OF 003 
 
 
-- ISAF's primary role during the elections is to support, 
assist, and partner with the Afghan National Security Forces, 
who have the primary responsibility for election security, to 
secure the elections. ISAF will also provide essential and 
urgent logistical support where necessary. 
Election Campaigning: 
-- We have so far seen an exciting campaign which we hope has 
been an informative political debate for the voters and will 
mobilize their participation on polling day.  We have been 
encouraged by the quality of the campaign in light of the 
difficult circumstances. 
-- We are also pleased to see that some candidates have 
started to set out their vision for Afghanistan, if they are 
elected. The new President will face many challenges and will 
need to be ready to implement their plans, with the support of 
the international community. 
-- Many of the rallies are quite large  up to 10,000, 15,000 
people. Many of the candidates are touring the country and 
participating in radio and TV debates. This has increased 
Afghan interest in the elections. 
-- Women are also playing a greater role in these elections. 
Two women are running for President and 328 women are running 
as candidates in the Provincial Council elections.  This is 81 
more women running for provincial office than in 2005.  End 
Talking Points. 
 
¶13.  (U) Minimize considered. 
CLINTON