VZCZCXRO6442
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #3870/01 3371336
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031336Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3713
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 003870 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
USFOR-A FOR POLAD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT PREL EAID AF
SUBJECT: CHARGE PRESENTS MOUs ON LIFE, SECURITY AND MOBILITY SUPPORT 
TO COALITION PARTNERS 
 
¶1.  This message contains an action request in para 5. 
 
¶2.  Summary: Over the past week, Charge Mussomeli presented a draft 
Memorandum of Understanding on Life, Security and Mobility Support 
to the ambassadors of all coalition countries that have Provincial 
Reconstruction Teams in which the USG may seek to place additional 
civilians during the coming months.  These countries are the U.K., 
France, Canada, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Italy, The Netherlands, 
Lithuania, Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic, as well as the 
special case of Poland.  Almost every Ambassador received positively 
Charge's presentation, although it will undoubtedly take time to vet 
the draft MoU in capitals and secure final agreement.  See action 
request Para 5. End Summary. 
 
¶3.  In presenting the draft MoU to partner country embassies, Charge 
explained that the U.S. would soon have more than 400 civilians in 
Afghanistan outside of Kabul.  In this context, we seek a more 
structured arrangement with PRTs led by coalition partners in the 
north and west of Afghanistan.  Our proposed agreement, while not 
legally binding, would establish a framework for cooperation for 
what have been until now largely ad hoc arrangements.  The MoU would 
provide a mechanism for USG payment to coalition PRTs for support 
services provided; it would also set forth general PRT obligations 
for the provision of life, security and mobility support to USG 
civilians.  Charge made clear the U.S. would welcome whatever office 
and living space that PRTs could provide to incoming U.S. civilians. 
 Several ambassadors noted that it would be easier to accommodate 
incoming civilians if the U.S. were able to provide connexes for 
living and/or work space.  Embassy estimates that we will need 
approximately 21 such connexes (details to follow septel). 
 
¶4.  A brief summation of individual embassy responses to Charge's 
presentation of draft MoU is as follows: 
 
U.K. - Confirmed that discussions already underway were on track. 
Embassy has sent the latest version of the MOU to London. 
 
France - Very receptive.  Will review document and forward to 
Paris. 
 
Canada - Very receptive.  Would welcome additional U.S. civilians at 
Kandahar PRT. 
 
Sweden - Receptive in principle, but concerned about space limits at 
PRT Mazar.  Connexes would help. 
 
Norway - Extremely receptive -- would "like to sign immediately." 
The ambassador said Norway was not interested in charging us. 
 
Italy - Receptive and will forward the agreement to Rome. 
 
Netherlands - Receptive.  Interested in "internationalizing" the 
Dutch PRT.  Optimistic that room would be found. 
 
Germany - Receptive.  The Ambassador noted that the PRT in Kunduz 
was being upgraded/enlarged to make room for an additional company 
to strengthen German police training efforts. 
 
Lithuania - Would welcome additional Americans at PRT Chagcharan, 
but thought it would be easier if connexes were provided.  (Note: 
Post is planning to send two containers to Chagcharan.  End note.) 
 
Spain - Receptive; will forward draft MoU to Madrid for review. 
 
Czech Republic - Charge noted that, for now, U.S. civilians would be 
embedded with the U.S. Brigade Task Force in Logar, rather than at 
the PRT.  Czech Ambassador complimented the brigade's relationship 
with the Czech PRT and expressed appreciation for being kept 
informed. 
 
Poland - Charge explained that the situation in Ghazni was unique: 
a U.S. PRT located within a Polish-operated base that is still owned 
by USFOR-A.  While we wanted to inform the Polish government of our 
approaches to other coalition countries, we acknowledged that our 
draft MoU template might have to be modified substantially to fit 
the situation in Ghazni.  The Polish Ambassador agreed that 
relations between the PRT and brigade were excellent, and that 
additional USG civilians would be welcome.  Living and office space 
are very tight, he added, but there would be ample room for connexes 
if the U.S. could provide them. 
 
Hungary - Ambassador was personally supportive, saying that the 
Hungarian MFA thought the PRT in Pul-e-Kumri needed more civilians. 
Nevertheless, he warned that we could expect resistance from the 
Hungarian MoD, to which the PRT reported.  The main problem was 
extremely limited space at the PRT - even if the U.S. provided its 
own containers.  The Ambassador said the GOH had looked into 
enlarging the PRT, but defense budget problems made this unlikely 
 
KABUL 00003870  002 OF 002 
 
 
for the foreseeable future.  He suggested, however, that the MOD 
might be more flexible if approached directly by the U.S. Embassy in 
Budapest. 
 
¶5.  Action Requested:  Embassy Kabul recommends that the Department 
instruct Embassy Budapest to demarche the Hungarian Ministry of 
Defense to request favorable consideration of the MoU and 
accommodation of a limited number of USG civilians (less than five) 
at PRT Pul-e-Kumri in Baghlan Province. 
 
¶6.  Comment:  The MOUs, once concluded, will go a long way toward 
clarifying the awkward situation faced by our personnel at several 
coalition-led installations, i.e. receiving services (and being 
billed) without being able to pay.  Despite the almost uniformly 
favorably reaction to our draft by partner country embassies in 
Kabul, it will take time for each government to vet (and hopefully 
approve) the document.  For this reason, even if most countries 
ultimately sign the MoU, the new framework's benefits will lie 
primarily in giving us increased flexibility to manage the placement 
of civilians arriving after the year-end surge currently underway. 
End Comment 
 
MUSSOMELI