US embassy cable - 03KABUL1226

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001226 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ZKHALILZAD, JDWORKEN, HMANN, RHANSON, DSEDNEY 
DEPT FOR SA/PAB, SA/AR, EB/FO 
MANILA PLEASE PASS AMB PSPELTZ 
USDOC FOR DAS/TD MURPHY AND AFGHAN RECON TASK FORCE 
STATE PASS USAID FOR JPRYOR 
STATE PASS TDA FOR DSTEIN AND JSUSSMAN 
STATE PASS TREASURY FOR U/S TAYLOR, LMCDONALD 
STATE PASS OPIC FOR RCONNELLY AND DZAHNHEISER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2013 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, ECON, AF 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MAY 2 MEETING WITH AGRICULTURE 
MINISTER ANWARI 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT P. FINN FOR REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) Ambassador met with Afghan Minister of Agriculture and 
Livestock Sayed Hussain Anwari on May 2.  Anwari requested 
the Ambassador,s intervention on eight areas of need for the 
Ministry.  First, the Minister requested help in establishing 
an Institute for Livestock Research.  Second, the Minister 
requested help arresting the spread of epidemic livestock 
diseases ) including a severe outbreak of hoof and mouth 
disease - in the North.  Third, the Minister requested 
donation of an extensive list of relevant vaccines and 
equipment for both research and treatment of livestock 
disease.  Fourth, the Minister requested audiovisual 
equipment to improve the media reach of the Ministry.  Fifth, 
the Minister requested support to obtain internet capability 
and computerization of the Ministry.  Sixth, the Minister 
requested technical support by U.S. agricultural experts and 
advisors.  Seventh, the Minister requested help in rebuilding 
a farmer,s cooperative building that he said was destroyed 
during OEF bombing.  Finally, the Minister requested help in 
obtaining international market access for Afghan agricultural 
goods. 
 
2.  (C) The Ambassador responded that he would follow up with 
USAID on the status of the Research Institute proposal and 
steps to address the outbreak of livestock disease in the 
North.  Ambassador further noted that USDA is very interested 
in increasing their involvement in Afghanistan, and that 
President Karzai had a productive meeting with Secretary of 
Agriculture Veneman during Karzai,s February visit to 
Washington.  The exact nature of USDA and USG engagement in 
the agricultural sector was being finalized and would be 
determined soon.  One proposal under review was to post 
agricultural experts to selected PRTs.  As for the provision 
of vaccines, the Ambassador asked if any other countries had 
the necessary vaccines.  Minister Anwari replied that the 
vaccines were available through Iran and India.  Ambassador 
suggested that the Minister discuss the possibility of India 
offering the vaccines as part of its Tokyo assistance pledge 
of $100m.  Ambassador reaffirmed that US support for 
Afghanistan would continue despite Iraq, and that the US 
Congress had recently authorized an additional $100m for 
Afghanistan is a special supplemental and $820m in support 
was planned in the FY2004 budget. 
FINN