US embassy cable - 05ISLAMABAD15550

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 015550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT - PLS PASS TO USAID 
KABUL -- PLS PASS TO CFC-A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, ETRD, MASS, PK, PREL, Earthquake 
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE:  MFA EMPHASIZES URGENT NEED 
FOR WINTERIZED TENTS 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  On October 15, Foreign Secretary 
Muhammed Riaz Khan, in a meeting with Ambassador Crocker, 
explained the GOP,s highest near term priority was obtaining 
winterized tents and blankets for the three million people 
needing shelter in the affected areas, and he requested U.S. 
assistance in locating throughout the world supplies of 
suitable tents.  The Ambassador assured him the Embassy was 
acutely aware of the need for tents and blankets, which we 
had heard at all levels from detachment commanders to 
President Musharraf, and had already sent back requests for 
Washington agencies to determine global availability.  Action 
requested:  Both the U.S. military via CENTCOM and USAID/DART 
are working this issue.  Washington agencies are requested as 
an urgent priority to identify from sources around the world 
supplies of winterized tents that can be provided as part of 
earthquake assistance to Pakistan.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  This is an action request -- see para 7. 
 
3.  (U)  Foreign Secretary On October 15, Ambassador was 
asked to meet with Foreign Secretary Muhammed Riaz Khan. 
Khan was accompanied by Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional 
Secretary for UN Affairs, who is the Foreign Office's 
 
SIPDIS 
earthquake coordinator.  Khan expressed Pakistan,s gratitude 
for the support of the United States since the earthquake, 
specifically referencing the early and substantial pledge of 
$50 million in assistance, the provision of airwing and 
helicopter support, the visit by Secretary Rice, and 
President Bush,s visit to the Pakistani Embassy to sign the 
condolence book (Khan noted President Bush was the only 
foreign leader to do so).  All these gestures were deeply 
appreciated by the GOP and Pakistani people. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Khan said that he wished to convey the GOP,s 
urgent request for winterized tents and blankets.  The 
earthquake happened to coincide with the onset of fall 
weather, and it would soon be getting much colder in the 
affected areas.  The GOP had located about 100,000 tents, and 
was asking local manufacturers to make more, but this would 
accommodate but a small fraction of the 3 million people who 
would need lodging.  The GOP would be grateful if the U.S. 
had any tents in storage (particularly in the region like 
Turkey or Jordan) it could provide.  Ambassador noted the 
Embassy had put the word out through both DOD and AID 
channels to obtain a reliable inventory of winterized tents. 
At present we had provided roughly 3000 winterized tents.  If 
the GOP was already working with local manufacturers, the 
U.S. would refrain from tapping that resource but would look 
to international suppliers.  Khan noted U.N. officials had 
told him UNHCR had 20,000 tents available in Turkey (which he 
understood it would take 37 sorties of C-130s to transport to 
Pakistan).  (Embassy note:  we have subsequently been 
contacted by NAVEUR about a supply of tents in Turkey, and 
provided those tents are confirmed to be suitable, we would 
strongly support the use of NATO strategic lift to bring them 
to Pakistan.) 
 
5.  (SBU)  Turning to longer term reconstruction, Khan noted 
the GOJ would soon announce its reconstruction organization. 
For now, Finance Advisor Salman Shah (along with the Economic 
Affairs Division, which handles foreign assistance) was 
working to develop an overall financial estimate of 
reconstruction costs, while the Earthquake Reconstruction and 
Rehabilitation Authority under LTG Zubair was preparing to 
begin (within a couple of days) an on-the-ground assessment 
of reconstruction needs.  In time these two organizations 
would come together, with LTG Zubair having more of the lead 
on implementation but not playing as big a role on working 
with international donors.  Coordinating with donors would be 
key, since the GOP had limited expertise in some of the 
reconstruction goals (e.g., quake-proof construction codes). 
 
6.  (SBU)  Hyder noted that while Pakistan would be seeking 
the greatest possible amount of donor assistance, the people 
of Pakistan "also want to earn our way."  The only way to do 
that would be through greater trade access to the U.S. and 
EU, Pakistan,s two largest markets.  Pakistan was urgently 
requesting the U.S. to consider emergency legislation to 
lower dutires on textiles, which account for 80 percent of 
Pakistan,s exports to the United States (Hyder noted 
virtually all other Pakistani exports enter the U.S. duty 
free under the GSP program).  Pakistan would also like the 
U.S. to fast track Pakistan,s request to launch FTA 
negotiations.  President Musharraf would be writing a letter 
on these topics soon (and sending a similar letter to the 
European Union).  Khan remarked that Pakistan understood the 
U.S. had extended trade benefits to countries affected by the 
December 2004 tsunami, and asked that in a similar vein the 
U.S. empower Pakistan to earn the money to pay for its 
reconstruction.  Hyder said that while most textile 
production in the affected areas was small-scale handicraft 
textiles, the migration of working-age Kashmiris out of the 
affected areas to major manufacturing centers like Karachi 
and Lahore meant that the health of Pakistan,s industrial 
sector (of which textiles represents roughly 60 percent of 
exports) would have a great impact on the flow of 
reconstruction funds to the affected areas. 
 
7.  (SBU)  Action requested:  following up on Khan,s request 
for U.S. assistance in locating winterized tents -- a 
priority which has been emphasized at every level from 
division commanders to President Musharraf -- Washington 
agencies are requested as an urgent priority to identify 
worldwide supplies/sources of winterized tents that can be 
provided to those left homeless by the earthquake. 
 
CROCKER