UNITED FRONT: KARZAI MUST STEP DOWN AFTER MAY 22

UNCLAS KABUL 000400 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV AF SUBJECT: UNITED FRONT: KARZAI MUST STEP DOWN AFTER MAY 22 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. United Front (UF) spokesman Sayed Sancharaki said President Karzai must step down after the 5/22 expiration of his term, but promised UF leaders will temper their public comments so as not to destabilize the country. Hard Line, But Tempered Tone -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a 2/23 conversation with PolOff, Sancharaki said the UF remained adamant in its belief that Karzai could not be trusted to remain in office in the lead up to the election. However, the UF recognized the importance of protecting the 8/20 election date and not throwing the government into chaos during the peak fighting season in the summer. Pushing Karzai too hard on presidential continuity may lead the president to call earlier elections or use a Loya Jirga to form the next government, two options UF leaders know favor Karzai. ¶3. (SBU) Sancharaki agreed that a resolution of the executive authority issue required Afghan political leaders to work together to find a consensus political solution. PolOff explained that the U.S. advocated no specific outcome, but insisted the eventual solution preserve the 8/20 election, maintain a strong government during the peak fighting season, and support the authority and goals of the Constitution. Those who resisted a sensible solution to the problem could face repercussions from voters in the election or in their future relations with the United States. "We will have a united effort to solve the problem," Sancharaki agreed. "We don't want individuals' selfish actions to strengthen the Taliban." ¶4. (SBU) UF leaders have proposed to other political leaders that Parliament and the Supreme Court jointly govern the country from 5/22 until the inauguration. Deputy ministers and selected holdovers from the current Cabinet would head the ministries during this interim period. POLOFF stressed the importance of including Karzai in any negotiations over the future of executive authority. ¶5. (SBU) Sancharaki said UF leaders had nearly reached an agreement with Karzai on a unity government six weeks ago. The UF dropped the initiative when it began to suspect Karzai was using the talks to fracture his opposition and not to heal the country's divisions. Since then, the UF has focused its efforts on uniting other opposition parties. Like most other parties, the UF would accept Karzai staying in office after 5/22 only if he did not stand for re-election. Sancharaki admitted this position signaled the real issue for Karzai's opponents was not constitutional, but preventing Karzai from using government agencies to aid his campaign. ¶6. (SBU) Sancharaki recognized the UF should encourage a reasoned discussion of the various proposals for presidential continuity. Heated dialogue would poison the political atmosphere and could dissuade some groups from joining a consensus. During the Lower House of Parliament's debate on the issue that same day, UF member and Lower House Speaker Yunus Qanooni advised other MPs to stop repeating statements to the media calling into question Karzai's legitimacy. Everyone's positions have been clear for some time and it was now time to find solutions, Qanooni said. DELL