Cablegate: Assembly Regains Quorum; Election Law Neglected

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UNCLAS KABUL 001193

SENSITIVE

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STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A,
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
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CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-101 POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: ASSEMBLY REGAINS QUORUM; ELECTION LAW NEGLECTED

REF: KABUL 1147

1. (SBU) The National Assembly's lower house regained quorum
May 11 after Speaker Qanooni forced an end to the non-Pashtun
MPs' boycott over the elections law bill's reservation of 10
parliamentary seats for Kochis (REFTEL). Qanooni redoubled
his efforts to end the boycott when public sentiment turned
against the lower house because of its failure to consider
the politically important civil servants law bill. Several
of Qanooni's previous attempts to corral striking MPs had
failed when one or both two sides reneged on reconciliation
agreements, due to pressure, his staff told us, "from
outsiders." Prior to a May 10 reconciliation meeting,
Qanooni ordered MPs to surrender their cell phones before
locking the members inside a conference room to force a deal.
Six hours later, the group agreed to return the elections
law bill, along with its controversial Kochi seats
reservation, to committee. The group also agreed to
discipline Alam Gul Kochi, whose April 12 insults of
non-Pashtun MPs had sparked their walkout. Before releasing
the MPs, Qanooni had them sign a document attesting to their
agreement.

2. (SBU) Since resuming its plenipotentiary sessions, the
lower house has focused exclusively on the civil servants law
bill, neglecting the elections law. We are continuing to
register with the Speaker's office our strong interest in the
elections law bill's passage. The lower house recesses June
4 and returns July 21.

WOOD

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