Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL2512
2006-06-01 13:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

PARLIAMENT'S STATEMENT ON US CONVOY ACCIDENT

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR PINS AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4647
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHBUL #2512/01 1521311
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011311Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0606
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0021
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 6023
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/US TREASURY WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002512 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO, S/CT, SCA/A, G KATE FRIEDRICH, G/IWI
DIANNE GRAHAM
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
SAN JOSE FOR JANAE COOLEY
REL NATO/ISAF, AUS, NZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PINS AF
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT'S STATEMENT ON US CONVOY ACCIDENT

REF: KABUL 2473

Classified By: A/DCM ANGUS SIMMONS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002512

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/FO, S/CT, SCA/A, G KATE FRIEDRICH, G/IWI
DIANNE GRAHAM
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76
TREASURY FOR LMCDONALD, WBALDRIDGE, APARAMESWARAN, ABAUKOL
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
SAN JOSE FOR JANAE COOLEY
REL NATO/ISAF, AUS, NZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PINS AF
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT'S STATEMENT ON US CONVOY ACCIDENT

REF: KABUL 2473

Classified By: A/DCM ANGUS SIMMONS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. On May 31, the Wolesi Jirga (lower house of
the Afghan National Assembly) issued a press release
summarizing its debate on the US convoy crash on May 29. The
release called for legal action against those responsible for
the crash. While the release is non-binding, it accurately
reflects opinion in Parliament. CFC-A is currently working
on its response. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Following is an unofficial translation of the text of
the Wolesi Jirga's press release:

BEGIN PRESS RELEASE. The Wolesi Jirga expresses regret over
the traffic accident that occurred on May 29, 2006.

In a meeting chaired by Parliament speaker Mohammed Yunus
Qanooni, the representatives of the people indicated that
poverty, unemployment, government corruption, bribery and
outside interference were the main causes of bad security in
Afghanistan. In this meeting, the following decisions were
made regarding the previous day's traffic accident.

- 1) Those responsible for the traffic accident that happened
in Kabul on May 29 should be identified and brought before
the law.
- 2) In order to express sympathy for the families of the
victims, necessary assistance should be provided to them.
- 3) Those individuals who were harmed in the accident must
be compensated.
- 4) Those who took the opportunity to commit illegal acts
should be identified and handed over to the law.

In addition, decisions were made regarding a improving the
security situation and understanding the causes of poor
security conditions in the country. The Wolesi Jirga also
discussed creating a national security strategy to identify
the reasons why security is deteriorating in the countryside.
END PRESS RELEASE.


3. (C) COMMENT. Speaker Qanooni passed a message to
Ambassador that he had worked to keep the most extreme
anti-American statements out of the statement, which is
non-binding. The press release took the place of the normal
summary of debate that Qanooni does at the end of each day of
open session (the debate summarized in the release was in
closed session),and can be viewed in the same vein as
Parliament's statements after the Abdul Rahman case: they
called for an investigation into the case, but little action
was taken. Nonetheless, it accurately reflects current
sentiment in the Wolesi Jirga, and similar statements were
repeated in debate in open session on May 31. Rumors
continue to fly around Parliament, and MPs in the two house
of Parliament formed a joint committee to investigate the
crash themselves. Equal anger, though, has been expressed
against those who, in the words of MPs, took advantage of the
accident to cause disarray.


4. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED. CFC-A is continuing to conduct its
investigation in cooperation with the Afghan authorities and,
in coordination with the Embassy, its public diplomacy
response to Parliament's statement. The existing status of
forces agreement between the US and GOA, memorialized in an
exchange of diplomatic notes concluded on 28 May 2003,
provides DOD military and civilian personnel with status
equivalent to that for the administrative and technical staff
of the embassy. Importantly, this includes complete immunity
from GOA criminal jurisdiction. During public debate we will
attempt to avoid, to the extent possible, legal bases for

KABUL 00002512 002 OF 002


Coalition soldiers not appearing in Afghan courts even though
we have an exchange of notes that provides that protection.
We will emphasize in public that we are working cooperatively
with Afghan authorities to investigate the situation, and
that mechanical failure is not a reason to bring a driver
before any criminal judicial proceedings. END COMMENT.

NEUMANN