MEDIA REACTION: AFGHAN RUNOFF

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000966

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO

STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: KMDR, KPAO, PGOV, OPRC, NP
SUBJ: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHAN RUNOFF

1. SUMMARY: Nepal's newly launched but popular
English daily Republica with an estimated 15,000
circulation ran an editorial "Afghan runoff"
cautioning the international community to treat
Afghan affairs with care lest the Taliban take over
again. The English daily's sister vernacular daily
Nagarik with an estimated 30,000 circulation also
ran a similar editorial titled "Lesson from Karzai"
in which the newspaper praised Karzai for accepting
the election decision and keeping the country's
interest ahead of his personal desires and commented
that Nepali leaders can learn from his example. END
SUMMARY.

2. Full text of Republica editorial: "Afghan
President Hamid Karzai has finally agreed to hold a
runoff election after the UN-sponsored independent
audit declared that over one million votes, one-
third of what he had received, were fraudulent
bringing his total share of votes to below 50
percent. This prompted a runoff election under the
Afghan constitution. But Karzai relented only to
persistent international pressure, especially from
the United States, a country that remains bogged
down in the war in Afghanistan. US President Barack
Obama kept his decision to send additional troops to
Afghanistan on pending and US officials sent strong
signals that the decision was tied up to whether
Karzai accepts the results of the independent
auditing. US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton,
called him and 'advised' him to act like a
"statesman". UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also kept
the pressure boiling on Karzai. Finally, the US sent
senator, Foreign Relations Committee chairman and
2004 presidential candidate, John Kerry, to do the
final arm-twisting, leaving Karzai without an option
but to relent."

3. "It's such a relief that a man who thought he
could steal the election and get away with it has
been forced to realize his limits. But the challenge
of holding the runoff, in the chilling winter and
rugged terrains of Afghanistan and that too within
two weeks, is simply overwhelming. Add to this the
menace of Talibans, who have lately been
consolidating their force and gaining grounds.
Managing the logistics, providing security to the
Afghans, who risked their lives to cast their votes
in the first round, is going to be an enormous
challenge, if not impossible. No less easy will be
to convince the Afghans to cast their ballots in the
runoff, especially because their faith in the
electoral system -and democracy to some extent - has
eroded to a significant degree. But then again,
failure to hold the runoff is not an option for
Kabul needs some semblance of legitimacy if this
country is to pull off this brutal war and get rid
of the insurgency. The NATO force, which is on the
ground in Afghanistan, and which was perhaps in the
know of what was coming, should gear up to face the
challenge, provide poll security and help with
logistics to hold a credible runoff."

4. "Afghanistan is too important a country -and not
just for the US - to be left to fail. It will have
immediate ramifications for Pakistan and then for
India and the whole of South Asia. It's therefore
the duty of the international community and the
regional powers to make sure that the Talibans don't
take back the country and make it, once again, a
sanctuary for terrorists. It's also equally
important to ensure that elections cannot be stolen.
Else, Afghans and many people around the world will
lose faith in democracy."

5. Translated excerpt of Nagarik editorial "...
Karzai has taken the right decision by stepping
aside and trying to find a solution to the political
stalemate in the country. Though the context is
different, Nepal's leaders can learn a lesson from
Karzai. The country has been in a political
imbroglio because of the Maoists who have made
civilian supremacy their agenda... At this point in
time Nepal's political parties must show the
flexibility and understanding that President Karzai
did. And those in the government must be responsible
and amenable. All know that there can be no way out
of this without compromise and why delay that?"


MOON