Cablegate: Karzai Advisor On Afghan-Pak Peace Jirga

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PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #2545 2611107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171107Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5552
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 002545

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR SHIVERS
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF PK
SUBJECT: KARZAI ADVISOR ON AFGHAN-PAK PEACE JIRGA
NEGOTIATIONS

REF: ISLAMABAD 3012

1. (SBU) Farooq Wardak, Minister of State for Parliamentary
Affairs and a close advisor to President Karzai, told
PolCouns negotiations on the Oct. 10-11 Peace Jirga between
Karzai and new Pakistani President Zardari had been
productive, with both presidents agreeing to expand the
participants from 25 to 30 members on each side to
accommodate more diverse representation from Pakistan.

2. (SBU) The Peace Jirga is a follow-up to a grand jirga held
last year in Kabul. Recent tensions in Afghanistan-Pakistan
relations had held up preparations for the current jirga, but
renewed efforts by Karzai, Zardari, and Pakistani Prime
Minister Gilani to smooth over disagreements brought plans
back on track, according to Wardak (reftel).

3. (SBU) Wardak said when Pakistani officials presented a
list of 25 names for their participants to the Afghan side,
Karzai noted the absence of key Pashtun and Baluch leaders,
including Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao (North West Frontier
Province), Mahmood Khan Achakzai (Baluchistan), and Mandokhel
(Balunchistan). Wardak said the two Baluch leaders had
called Karzai while the president was en route to Pakistan
for meetings with Zaradari and Gilani to complain. Karzai
pressed for their inclusion, and the Pakistanis agreed,
upping the participant list to 30 to create room for the new
names. Of the original 25 Pakistani names, Wardak said 18
were from North West Frontier Province, five from
Baluchistan, and one each from Sindh and Punjab.
WOOD

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