CANDIDATE VETTING: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR STANEKZAI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001406

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PRER AF
SUBJECT: CANDIDATE VETTING: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR STANEKZAI
RESISTING POLITICAL PRESSURE, SO FAR.

REF: KABUL 01319 AND REFTELS

Classified By: CDA Ricciardone for reasons 1.4 (a),(b) and (d)

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Summary
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1. (C) Presidential Advisor and Vice-Chairman of the
Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (D and RC)
Muhammad Massom Stanekzai told the Ambassador on June 1 the D
and RC submitted to the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC)
the names of 112 Provincial Council candidates and four
national-level candidates (three presidential and one vice
presidential) whom the D&RC will recommend the ECC disqualify
because of their links to illegally armed groups (IAGs). The
ECC will make final decisions by June 8. A number of
individuals, including prominent officials, are pressing
Stanekzai and D and RC staff to remove certain of their
family or friends - hence making them qualified to run.
Stanekzai is resisting so far. We will report by septel the
discussion on reconciliation, and Stanekzai's views on the
election.

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Update on the candidate vetting process
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2. (SBU) Stanekzai told the Ambassador he is fully focused
now on candidate vetting. He briefly described the D and
RC's "remapping" (i.e. updating and reconciling earlier
lists) of the Disbandment of Illegally Armed Groups (DIAG)
list, a process which began in September 2008 and was
completed in May.


3. (C) Stanekzai informed the Ambassador that the D and RC
submitted its fully-vetted proposed list of disqualified
candidates to the ECC on May 23. All disqualified candidates
were informed by June 2 of the D and RC's finding, and have
until June 5 to respond. If listed as active IAG members,
disqualified candidates may withdraw from the race, present
evidence to provincial DIAG offices that they have already
cut ties to IAGs, or begin the formal disarmament process
through provincial DIAG offices. The D and RC must then
"re-vet" candidates who challenge or formally begin to
disarm. The D and RC will then reconvene representatives of
MOD, MOI, NDS, ISAF and UNAMA on June 8 to make final
conclusions on the D and RC's findings on the re-vetted
candidates. Those findings will go to the ECC, which in turn
will issue on June 8 its own final decision on IAG and other
non-IAG candidate challenges. We expect the ECC to accept
the D and RC's recommendations. The Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) will then issue the presidential
and provincial council candidate lists on June 12.

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Political pressure and some threats
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4. (C) Stanekzai planned to ask NSA Zalmay Rassoul to convene
a meeting of key Afghan and international community leaders
prior to June 12, to present to them the list of disqualified
candidates and seek their support for the D and RC's
conclusions.


5. (C) Stanekzai confirmed that he and his staff were
receiving pressure from individuals, including prominent
officials, to remove names of family or friends. He did not
identify any of those exerting pressure, but told the
Ambassador he and his staff were resisting such pressure.
Stanekzai demurred but did not deny that he and his staff
were also receiving personal threats. The D and RC was
increasing security on the compound.


6. (C) Stanekzai informed the Ambassador that the D and RC
submitted to the ECC the names of 112 Provincial Council
candidates (which differs from the 119 reported to us by a D
and RC staffer - reftel) and four national-level candidates
(three presidential, one vice-presidential) whom the D and RC
recommended the ECC disqualify because of their links to
IAGs. He described the circumstances of two presidential
candidates, Mullah Raketi and Akbar Bai. Raketi is known for
his insurgent background and his role in the kidnapping of
Chinese engineers. Raketi claims he has disarmed, which
would make him eligible to contest the election. On Akbar
Bai, Stanekzai cited reports that Bai had been convicted and
jailed in the United States for narcotics violations, an
offense that would disqualify Bai from the race. The Embassy
is assisting ECC to track down corroborating information.

KABUL 00001406 002 OF 002




7. (C) Stanekzai concluded the discussion on candidate
vetting by pointing to the delicate balance he faces in
setting an environment for credible elections versus
maintaining stability. He is putting greater priority on
credible elections, but acknowledges he is taking a
"calculated risk" in doing so.
EIKENBERRY