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Viewing cable 08BERN246, PLEDGING AT THE PARIS SUPPORT CONFERENCE FOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BERN246 2008-05-23 16:27 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Bern
VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSW #0246 1441627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231627Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5073
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0045
UNCLAS BERN 000246 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/A (L.FRESE) AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KDEM PGOV PREL AF SZ
SUBJECT: PLEDGING AT THE PARIS SUPPORT CONFERENCE FOR 
AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF: A. STATE 44359 
 
     B. BERN 192 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Poloff emphasized the message in reftel A 
in a May 9 meeting with MFA Senior Coordinator for South Asia 
Yves-Pierre Fux, highlighting the pressing need for election 
support; Fux's deputy, Agnes Christeler participated in the 
meeting.  Fux explained that Switzerland made a five-year, 
CHF 100 million pledge of assistance to Afghanistan during 
the 2006 London conference.  Thus, while the GOS has provided 
approximately CHF 20 million per year to Afghanistan since 
the London conference, Switzerland is still in the middle of 
implementing a major, multi-year pledge, none of which could 
be termed "new."  Fux reported that the GOS does not foresee 
providing election assistance, though it will consider later 
this year whether Switzerland will send election observers. 
He said that, as part of an effort to strengthen its 
reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan, the GOS plans to 
increase its Swiss staff working at the Swiss liaison office 
in Kabul from three to four, and possibly to five later this 
year.  End Summary. 
 
---------------------------- 
Pledging Amount and Approach 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Fux expressed no concern in principle with the 
approach to pledging outlined in reftel A.  However, as a 
practical matter, he explained that Switzerland made a 
five-year, CHF 100 million pledge of assistance to 
Afghanistan during the 2006 London conference.  Thus, while 
the GOS has provided approximately CHF 20 million per year to 
Afghanistan since the London conference, Switzerland is still 
in the middle of implementing a major, multi-year pledge, 
none of which could be termed "new." 
 
3. (SBU) Fux said that Switzerland had budgeted CHF 15-16 
million for Afghan reconstruction for the current year, but 
that this amount may rise closer to the pledged goal of CHF 
20 million toward the end of the year as other funding 
becomes available, which has been the case in past years.  He 
cautioned, however, that "food security" assistance globally 
had become a top priority for Swiss international assistance, 
in the wake of recent developments, suggesting this would 
make obtaining additional funds for Afghanistan this year 
more difficult than previously. 
 
---------------- 
Election Support 
---------------- 
 
4. (SBU) Poloff emphasized the pressing need for election 
support, and urged the GOS to provide assistance in this 
area.  Briefly reviewing Swiss assistance efforts in 
Afghanistan (reftel B), Fux said that the GOS was in the 
process of "consolidating" its support to Afghanistan in 
order to put it on a firm footing for the long-term.  He said 
that the GOS does not foresee providing election assistance, 
though it will consider later this year whether Switzerland 
will send election observers. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Swiss Diplomatic Presence in Afghanistan 
---------------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Fux said that, as part of an effort to strengthen 
its reconstruction assistance in Afghanistan, the GOS plans 
to increase its Swiss staff working at the Swiss liaison 
office in Kabul from three to four, and possibly to five 
later this year.  He said that there are plans to add an 
additional Swiss staff member with expertise on human rights 
and democracy issues.  A second additional Swiss staff member 
might also be added to coordinate GOS de-mining assistance. 
Fux said that the MFA currently does not have the resources 
to open a full embassy in Kabul.  (Comment:  Seeming to 
highlight the difficulty of implementing projects with 
limited presence on the ground in Afghanistan, Christeler 
reported that she had spent a week in February in Kabul, 
working with the German embassy and attempting to make 
headway on a cultural artifacts exhibit as part of an Afghan 
"national heritage" preservation project, but had encountered 
major difficulties in securing a suitable venue.  End Comment) 
CONEWAY