QANOONI ELECTED SPEAKER OF WOLESI JIRGA IN SECOND

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 005200

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA/FO, SA/A, S/CT, EUR/RPM
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KDEM AF
SUBJECT: QANOONI ELECTED SPEAKER OF WOLESI JIRGA IN SECOND
ROUND

Classified By: ACTING DCM ANGUS SIMMONS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (U) KABUL MP YOUNUS QANOONI WON THE VOTE FOR SPEAKER OF
THE WOLESI JIRGA (LOWER HOUSE) IN A SECOND ROUND OF VOTING
LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 21. IN THE INITIAL ROUND
OF VOTING, QANOONI TOOK 108 VOTES; KABUL MP USTAD ABDRAB
ALRASOUL SAYAFF HAD 88 VOTES; PAKTIKA MP PEER SAYED ISHAQ
GAILANI, 16 VOTES; KABUL MP SHUKRIYA BARAKZAI, 9 VOTES; AND
KANDAHAR MP NOORULHAQ OLUMI, 5 VOTES. THE INITIAL VOTE DID
NOT PROVIDE THE SIMPLE MAJORITY NECESSARY TO GIVE QANOONI THE
SPEAKERSHIP, AND A RUNOFF BETWEEN THE TWO TOP CANDIDATES
ENSUED. QANOONI WON WITH A TOTAL OF 122 VOTES TO SAYYAF'S

117.


2. (C) COMMENT: IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, THE PARLIAMENT HAS
BEEN THE SCENE OF FRENETIC HORSE-TRADING, AS MANY CANDIDATES
VIED FOR THE TOP POSITION. QANOONI, WITH HIS PRAGMATIC
POLITICAL SENSE, WILL LIKELY PROVE AN EASIER INTERLOCUTOR
THAN SAYYAF, A STAUNCHLY ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST.
NEUMANN