Cablegate: Afghan Presidential Candidates

VZCZCXRO7142
PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #1440 1640253
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120253Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4344
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 001440

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR SHIVERS
CG CJTF-101, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: Afghan Presidential Candidates

1. (U) Provided below, for addressees' reference, is a list of
declared and likely presidential candidates. Addressees should take
care when dealing with those listed not to convey the misimpression
of USG endorsement for a particular candidacy. The list is not
exhaustive; it is subject to change. We include minimal bio
information only for those candidates who would not be well known to
addressees.

2. (SBU) Declared and Likely Presidential Candidates

* President Karzai

* Yunous Qanooni - Speaker of the Lower House

* Ali Ahmad Jalali - Minister of Interior from January 2003 to
September 2005; Pashtun

* Mustafa Zahir - Grandson of the late King Zahir Shah; director of
the Afghan Environmental Protection Department.

* Dr. Anwarulhaq Ahadi - Minister of Finance and head of the Afghan
Millat Party; Pashtun

* Mohammad Hanif Atmar - Minister of Education; Pashtun

* Dr. Abdullah Abdullah - Foreign Minister from 2001 to 2006;
strongly associated with Panjshiri Tajiks.

* Edayat Amin Arsallah - Senior Minister in the Karzai cabinet

* Mawlawi Abdul Aziz Ahmadzai - An Ahmadzai tribe Pashtun, who
fought against the Soviets; chairman of the Kabul Provincial
Council, religiously oriented.

* Engineer Ehsanullah Bayat - Owner of the AWCC cell phone company
and Ariana TV station, founder of the Bayat Foundation, a charity.

* Zabiullah Ghazi Nooristani - Leader of the Justice and Development
Party of Afghanistan; probable U.S. green card holder.

* Ashraf Ghani - Academic and former World Bank executive; finance
minister in the Afghan interim government.

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