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Viewing cable 09KABUL3868, Afghan Minister Agrees in Principle to Launch Khost BBG

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09KABUL3868 2009-12-03 12:04 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kabul
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #3868 3371204
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031204Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3712
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8147
UNCLAS KABUL 003868 
 
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/PPD, R 
DEPT PASS TO BBG AND VOA 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECPS PREL PROP BBG VOA AF
 
SUBJECT:  Afghan Minister Agrees in Principle to Launch Khost BBG 
Transmitter on a Provisional Basis Pending Further Negotiations 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  During a meeting with Minister Khorram, 
Ambassador Mussomeli proposed a compromise to resolve the impasse 
regarding the Khost transmitter: an exchange of diplomatic notes 
whereby the U.S. would formally request to begin immediate use of 
the Khost facility for a period of six months, during which time 
formal negotiations would take place to address any Afghan concerns 
about the overall agreement.  Khorram told the Assistant Ambassador 
he would allow the use of the new BBG Khost transmitter on this 
provisional basis to allow time for further negotiations aimed to 
address Afghan concerns about the potential content of U.S. Pashtu 
language broadcasts from Afghan territory.   A draft diplomatic note 
to the GIROA is included in paragraph five.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU)  During a December 2 meeting at the Ministry of 
Information and Culture, Minister Khorram expressed concerns about 
possible VOA Pashtu language broadcasts which might contravene 
Afghan national interests. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Khorram has, in the past, proposed an amendment to the 
BBG's current operating agreement with Afghanistan to incorporate 
the following language:   "Afghanistan shall have the right to 
terminate the transmission of programs, following consultation on 
issues not exceeding 24 hours, that are deemed detrimental to the 
national interests of Afghanistan."  According to Khorram, last May 
he met with BBG officials in Washington and that they had agreed to 
this provision, but have since rejected the proposal.  Instead, BBG 
has urged a de-linking of the two issues, seeking an immediate 
approval for transmitting from the Khost tower, but also agreeing to 
open negotiations on the overall agreement.  Ambassador Mussomeli 
pressed this proposal, but Khorram demurred, repeating that he could 
not understand why BBG had agreed to this language earlier, but not 
now. 
 
4.  (SBU) Ambassador Mussomeli explained the critical nature of the 
Khost facility, reviewed recent U.S.-Afghan discussions on the 
subject, and urged Khorram to accept the BBG proposal.  Mussomeli 
ultimately proposed, and Minister Khorram agreed, to an exchange of 
diplomatic notes whereby the U.S. would formally request to begin 
using the Khost facility for a period not to exceed six months, 
during which time formal negotiations would take place to address 
any Afghan concerns about the overall agreement.  If the sides fail 
to come to agreement within six months, the Afghan side would be 
permitted to withdraw its permission to continue to operate the 
Khost facility. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Substantive portions of the text of the proposed draft 
Diplomatic note follows: 
 
Begin text: 
 
In reference to the Embassy's Diplomatic Note Number 09-1879 dated 
June 28, 2009, the Embassy wishes to inform the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs that on December 2, 2009, U.S. Assistant Ambassador Joseph 
Mussomeli met with Minister of Information and Culture Khorram to 
discuss the status of the Khost radio transmission facility. 
Minister Khorram conveyed his desire to negotiate certain amendments 
to the current BBG operating agreement in Afghanistan that would 
allow the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to 
suspend BBG broadcasting rights from the Khost facility if that 
facility is used to transmit messages which are deemed detrimental 
to the national interests of Afghanistan.  Given the high priority 
placed by the government of the United States on initiating use of 
the Khost transmission facility, Ambassador Mussomeli proposed that 
the Khost facility be granted provisional permission to operate for 
a period of six months, during which time the Governments of the 
United States and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan would conduct 
further negotiations to seek to resolve any and all outstanding 
issues with respect to use of the Khost facility.   Minister Khorram 
welcomed this proposal and agreed with it, suggesting that the 
agreement be formalized through an exchange of diplomatic notes. 
The Embassy of the United States hereby kindly requests that the 
Ministry convey this proposal formally to the Ministry of 
Information and Culture at its earliest convenience.   End Draft 
Text. 
 
MUSSOMELI