AFGHANISTAN - DOSTUM´S ROLE

S E C R E T STATE 064621

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2019
TAGS: AF PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN - DOSTUM´S ROLE

Classified By: SRAP Richard C Holbrooke for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5.
Post is requested to provide a response by close of business
Wednesday, June 24.


2. (SBU) Abdul Rashid Dostum left Afghanistan for Turkey in
2008, following the Akbar Boi incident in Kabul. He has
remained largely out of the Afghan public spotlight since
then, with the reformist elements of Junbesh taking charge
under Noorallah.


3. (C) We know that Dostum has promised Karzai the Junbesh /
Uzbek vote in the forthcoming Afghan Presidential elections.
What he is getting in return is unclear: there are rumors
that Dostum has been reinstated in his ceremonial role as
Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief. We understand from
information in other channels that Dostum may be planning to
return to Afghanistan as part of this bargain. Akbar Boi has
threatened to release the (apparently written) text of the
original Dostum-Akbar Boi deal, brokered by Karzai and the
Palace, that effectively kept Dostum out of the country.


4. (C) Both former Foreign Minister Babacan and Foreign
Minister Davutogliu told Ambassador Holbrooke they would keep
Dostum in Turkey indefinitely.


5. (S) Action request: That Ambassador Jeffrey engage with
hosts at the highest level possible to establish their
understanding of the situation, and make clear that we would
not/not like to see Dostum return to Afghanistan.


6. (S) Karzai may resent our efforts to keep Dostum away. We
understand this risk but believe it will also send an
important signal to Karzai that the rules really have changed
and we will be tougher on important issues in his next term.


7. (U) Points of contact for this cable are XXXXXXXXXXXX.
CLINTON