FM ABDULLAH'S TRAVAILS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001382 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/FO (DAS GASTRIGHT),SCA/A, S/CT, EUR/RPM NSC FOR O'SULLIVAN/HARRIMAN/AMEND STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: FM ABDULLAH'S TRAVAILS KABUL 00001382 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CHARGE RICHARD NORLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA convoked Charge on fairly short notice on March 28 to what was billed as a farewell event for FM Abdullah, who did not make the cut in President Karzai's proposed Cabinet reshuffle. However, upon arrival, Charge was treated to a 30-minute one-on-one session with the outgoing Minister (who evidently was calling in a number of diplomats one by one to go through the same presentation - the EU representative was next). There was no farewell social event. Abdullah appears still interested in the MFA portfolio. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Exhibiting a mixture of injured pride and subtle hope that he could be restored to the FM position, Abdullah elaborated on the sequence of events preceding his dismissal. He had pleaded with the Palace before the March 20-21 Strategic Partnership talks in Washington for clarity on whether he would remain FM, precisely in order to avoid the embarrassment of finding out on the road that he was on the way out. Karzai had told him nothing would happen until his return on March 25th. Instead, Abdullah had no sooner arrived in California on the weekend preceding the talks than he got a call from Karzai asking him if he would be interested in the posts of Commerce Minister or Ambassador to India (We note for the record that Dr. Azizollah Lodin, who has just left his job as Secretary General at the Parliament, also claims to have been offered the India posting) or the U.N. The two had agreed to discuss the matter upon Abdullah's return, but since the story leaked Abdullah had to deal with questions regarding his tenure throughout the visit. ¶3. (C) Upon his return, Abdullah said, Karzai offered only lame explanations for switching him out and putting Presidential foreign policy adviser Dr. Rangeen Dadfor Spanta in as FM. Karzai said Abdullah's nomination would have trouble getting through parliament - which Abdullah said was untested and, in any case, something that certainly applied to Spanta (as we are hearing). Karzai said Abdullah had not lobbied to keep the job, even after Karzai's call to him in California. Abdullah said he served at the President's pleasure and if the President wanted him out, he was not going to go around soliciting support. Karzai offered him Commerce. Abdullah said he felt unqualified for the job. ¶4. (C) Abdullah told Charge that he had spoken again with Karzai in the last couple of days. The conversation had been "pleasant" because Abdullah did not want to end things on a bitter note. Abdullah basically told Karzai, "call me if you want me as foreign minister -- otherwise, I'll be in touch." He was not sure what he would do next, perhaps something in the private sector. He did not want to merely enjoy the "comfortable life" at the UN in New York, even though he would be well qualified for that post. Exhibiting a bit of disdain for Afghans living abroad, he said he wanted to stay here and help the country. ¶5. (C) Abdullah did lash out a little at the "yes-men" around the President in the Palace who had launched a campaign against him. There had been a constant barrage of criticism regarding the MFA. Ambitious advisers were playing games in order to advance their careers (Karzai's chief of staff Jawed Ludin wanted London, Spanta wanted the Foreign Ministry, National Security Adviser Rassoul wanted the Foreign Ministry or a major ambassadorship). Someone (probably Spanta) had spread the word that Abdullah was insufficiently supportive of the President following a perceived public insult from the Pakistanis to which the MFA had not responded. He knew the Pakistan equation better than anyone in the GOA, he said. Abdullah seemed to harbor resentment at Afghans who had returned from abroad but were not committed to the country, KABUL 00001382 002.2 OF 002 in many cases leaving their wives and children overseas (though an MFA staffer mentioned later that Abdullah's own family is in India.) ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Abdullah left open the option that Parliament might not confirm Spanta as FM and Karzai might ask him to resume the post. Spanta is often labeled as a "leftist" and disliked by commanders and former warlords, including those in the Parliament, for his stance on transitional justice. Abdullah should in theory have enjoyed strong support from Qanooni, his erstwhile Northern Alliance colleague, but we hear that Qanooni pushed harder for his former campaign manager General and former Deputy Minister of Defense Barialei Khan to get a cabinet position than Abdullah. Qaanooni reportedly wanted Barialei, who is likely a flawed candidate (unexplained wealth) to get MOI. Qanooni is said to be unhappy about the cabinet list, and is saying privately that he wants to knock out 50% of Karzai's candidates during the confirmation process. END COMMENT. NORLAND