Cablegate: Ambassador Meets with Female Mps to Signal

VZCZCXRO1306
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #3683 3011225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281225Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1211
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4261
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 003683

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA.FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A,
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE,
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR KIMMETT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AF
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH FEMALE MPS TO SIGNAL
CONTINUED SUPPORT

1. (SBU) The Ambassador met with seven female members of
parliament on October 18. The MPs, mostly Pashtuns from
southern provinces, were generally not aligned politically.
They said that they lacked computers, offices, and security
support. But, their provincial connections are better than
those of their male counterparts because their constituents
trust them. They observed that powerful politicians in the
parliament have resources, but offer them only to political
allies. They predicted women would vote their own minds in
the 2009 presidential election.

2. (SBU) The Ambassador encouraged the group to organize and
develop connections to other MPs with complementary agendas.
The Ambassador promised the MPs the USG's continued support.
WOOD

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