INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Declared and Likely Afghan Presidential Candidates

Published: Wed 3 Dec 2008 10:39 AM
VZCZCXRO7234
PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #3111 3381039
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031039Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6286
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS KABUL 003111
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR MCGRAW
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV AF
SUBJECT: DECLARED AND LIKELY AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
REF: KABUL 1440
1. (SBU) Provided below, for addressees reference, is an
update to reftel from June on declared and likely
presidential candidates, with ethnicity in parentheses.
Addressees should take care when dealing with those listed
not to convey the misimpression of USG endorsement of a
particular candidacy.
2. (SBU) This list is not exhaustive and is subject to
change. Many rumored candidates have talked up their
candidacies for self-promotional motives and may not intend
to run for elective office. Declared candidates are those
who have made repeated, public statements regarding their
intentions. With no set election date, we do not yet know
when the official filing period will begin. Likely
candidates are those Embassy believes are considering a run
or who may be asked by political parties and factions to run
as their candidate. We list the candidates here recognizing
some have very little, if any, base of support and would
receive only a small fraction of the vote if they were to
run.
3. (SBU) Declared presidential candidates:
- President Karzai (Pashtun)
- Ramazan Bashardost, Lower House MP (Hazara)
- Abdul Qader Imami Ghori, Lower House MP (Tajik)
- Abdul Jabar Sabit, former attorney general (Pashtun)
4. (SBU) Likely or rumored presidential candidates:
- Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former Foreign Minister
(Tajik/Pashtun)
- Anwarulhaq Ahadi, Finance Minister who may resign
(Pashtun)
- Edayat Amin Arsallah, senior minister in Cabinet
(Pashtun)
- Engineer Ehsanullah Bayat, businessman and
philanthropist (Pashtun)
- Pir Gailani, head of religiously influential family
(Pashtun)
- Ashraf Ghani, former Finance Minister (Pashtun)
- Masooda Jalal, only female candidate in 2004 election
(Tajik)
- Ali Ahmad Jalali, former Interior Minister (Pashtun)
- Ahmad Zia Massoud, First Vice President (Tajik)
- Ustad Mutasem Bellah Mazhabi, moderate religious
scholar (Pashtun)
- Prof. Abdul Rassoul Amin, former Education Minister
(Pashtun)
- Prince Ali Seraj, nephew of the late king (Pashtun)
- Gul Aqa Sherzai, Nangarhar Governor (Pashtun)
- Mohammad Dawood Sultanzoi, Lower House MP (Pashtun)
5. (SBU) Persons once thought likely to be candidates, now
unlikely to run:
- Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Interior Minister (Pashtun)
- Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum (Uzbek)
- Haji Mohammad Mohaqqeq, Lower House MP (Hazara)
- Yunus Qanooni, Speaker of the Lower House (Tajik)
- Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani, Lower House MP and former
president (Tajik)
- Mustapha Zahir Shah, grandson of the late king (Pashtun)
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