VZCZCXRO6327
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #2513 3411235
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 071235Z DEC 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9925
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3711
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002513 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EEB FOR PDAS DIBBLE; NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR 
GOLDBERGER, SHAMPAINE, BELGRADE; NSC FOR 
ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR 
LERNER; PARIS FOR DWYER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017 
TAGS:        
SUBJECT: PDAS DIBBLE:  MEETINGS TO ADVANCE PARIS DONORS' 
CONFERENCE 
 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, for reasons 1.4 b, d 
 
 1. (SBU) Summary:  EEB PDAS Elizabeth Dibble met on November 
29 in Jerusalem with officials from the World Bank and IMF, 
the PA Ministry of Planning, the French Consulate and the 
Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) to discuss 
planning for the December 17 Paris Donors' Conference and to 
solicit support for the PA's immediate financial needs.  End 
Summary. 
 
Palestinian Reform and Development Plan a Good Tool 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
 2. (SBU) PDAS Dibble met separately in Jerusalem on November 
29 with key participants in the planning process for the 
Paris Donors' Conference, including local heads of the World 
Bank and IMF; Dr. Cairo Arafat, Director General for Aid 
Management and Coordination at the PA Ministry of Planning; 
Amb. Bandler and other members of Quartet Representative 
Blair's team; and French Consul General Alain Remy.  All 
agreed that the summary of the Palestinian Reform and 
Development Plan (PRDP) produced by the PA is an impressive 
document that will provide a solid basis for pledges on the 
17th.  World Bank head David Craig thought the plan's 
sectoral programs, particularly security sector reform, 
require more specificity.  French CG Remy said donors should 
"keep pressing" the PA to complete PRDP revisions, with 
annexes that fill in details on sectoral programs, in time 
for the Paris Donors' Conference.  PDAS Dibble agreed that 
more work needed to be done, but that the document provided 
by the PA is more than sufficient for the purposes of pledges 
on the 17th.  In the end, she emphasized, it is vital that 
the international community respond to and support PA 
priorities. 
 
 3. (SBU) French CG Remy said PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad 
will present the summary of the PRDP on December 10 in 
Brussels.  He hoped Fayyad would address the European 
Parliament in Strasbourg to help overcome skepticism about 
increased EU assistance, now estimated at 310 million Euros 
(though he said that he hoped that number could be increased 
to 500 million Euros). 
 
Follow-up Vital to Success at Paris 
------------------------------------ 
 
 4. (C) PDAS Dibble noted that the Paris Conference is the 
beginning, not the end, of a process to support the PA.  She 
stressed the importance of follow-up with donors on pledges 
and implementation by the PA of their commitments.  She noted 
that existing donor mechanisms, including the AHLC and Local 
Development Forum, are more than adequate for the task. She 
emphasized the need to avoid having donors condition 
assistance to the PA on actions beyond its control (such as 
restrictions on access and movement).  (Note: a couple of her 
interlocutors suggested that the UK's recent pledge of 500 
million USD over three years was just so conditioned.  End 
Note)  She credited the PA for including a follow-up 
mechanism in its planning document, and supported continuing 
World Bank and IMF efforts to assist the PA and report to 
donors on implementation. 
 
 5. (SBU) PDAS Dibble was told that the four co-chairs (Blair, 
French FM Kouchner, Norwegian FM Stoere, and EC Commissioner 
Ferrero-Waldner) expected to play a role in following up with 
donors on their pledges.  She agreed that continued attention 
at the political level was important, but that such a 
structure need not be formalized.  There are already 
important opportunities, through the AHLC and the Quartet, to 
ensure proper coordination. 
 
Gulf Money Key to Success 
------------------------- 
 
 6. (C) The World Bank's Craig and French CG Remy both called 
Gulf State donations at Paris "the big question."  Remy said 
the French MFA is "mobilizing" to solicit Gulf support. 
OQR's Tor Wennesland said the Saudis and Emirates gave Blair 
positive signals during his recent swing through the Gulf, 
but offered no specifics. 
 
 7. (U) PDAS Dibble cleared this cable. 
WALLES