VZCZCXRO6239
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1007/01 0860928
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270928Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7093
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3849

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOD FOR USDP EDELMAN 
STATE FOR SCA/FO A/S BOUCHER AND SAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, 
S/CRS, SCA/PB, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC PASS TO AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF
SUBJECT: ELECTION WORKING GROUP FOCUSES ON CALENDAR REFORM 
AND CIVIL VOTER REGISTRY 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The Election Working Group called for by 
the JCMB met for the first time on March 15 to energize work 
on elections.  The group discussed options for electoral 
calendar reform, but agreed that the international community 
should not take a position on the outcome.  The Civil Voter 
Registry pilot project getting underway in April will help 
determine the most cost-effective technologies and working 
methodology for the broader CVR effort to follow, including 
how to effectively work with the problematic Ministry of 
Interior.  Embassy Kabul will prepare a draft paper for the 
next JCMB meeting in May outlining issues for JCMB decision 
and funding needs requiring donor support.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Neumann attended the first Election 
Working Group (EWG) meeting called for by the JCMB on March 
¶15.  Ambassador Neumann emphasized the importance of 
energizing work addressing election issues, especially 
reducing costs and electoral calendar reform.  He stressed 
that we are not advocating a particular solution.  It is most 
important to resolve the systemic issues so the elections can 
be carried out without a crisis and yield results that are 
viewed as honest by the Afghans. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Daoud Najafi, Chief Electoral Officer (IEC), said 
they are considering three options for reforming the 
electoral calendar:  (1) Extend the President's term by one 
year; (2) Curtail the Parliament,s term by one year; or (3) 
Or extend/curtail each by 6 months.  UNAMA DSRSG Chris 
Alexander said Karzai does not favor extending his term and 
there is already a legal precedent for delaying Provincial 
Council elections.  Ambassador Neumann emphasized that there 
is no reason for the IC to take a position. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The EWG agreed to meet monthly and additionally as 
needed.  Alexander reported that UNAMA is recruiting a Chief 
Election Advisor to the SRSG, who will be the primary 
technical advisor to the IEC and act as secretary to the EWG. 
 The group accepted Ambassador Neumann's offer for the U.S. 
Embassy to prepare a draft of the elections paper for the 
forthcoming JCMB meeting on May 1.  The group agreed that the 
previous paper raised awareness and focused attention on the 
issues, and this paper should outline issues for JCMB 
decision and funding issues requiring donor support.  The 
group agreed to circulate the draft paper by the first week 
in April. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Neumann strongly supported getting moving 
on the Civil Voter Registry (CVR), and advised that the group 
look at consolidating CVR-related activities (e.g. ID cards, 
conscription, census, etc.).  Alexander said UNAMA "couldn't 
agree more."  A CVR pilot project is currently underway, and 
early feedback is for a unified system and deemphasizing 
cutting-edge technology.  The census cannot be part of the 
CVR, but that there are back-office synergies.  He flagged 
one issue: the Ministry of Interior (MOI) owns the ID card 
issue, and the Civil Administration side of the MOI has 
serious problems. 
 
¶5. (SBU) UNDP reported that the final cost for the 2005 
elections was $172 million, and the remaining gap is 
currently $12 million.  If outstanding pledges totaling $5.1 
million (from Italy, Greece, and the U.S.) are received, and 
remaining assets of $2.8 million can be sold, there will 
still remain a gap of just over $2 million, so this shortfall 
is still an issue for the JCMB. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The CVR pilot project costs $336,000, begins in 
mid-April, and ends the first week in July.  It will 
determine the feasibility and cost estimates for three 
options:  (1) Iris scanning; (2) Facial recognition, i.e. 
photos; and (3) Manual system, i.e. fingerprints.  It must be 
completed before the next steps for the CVR are taken. 
 
KABUL 00001007  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) The group was concerned because completion of the 
CVR pilot will require MOI cooperation, capacity, and 
leadership, which have so far been lacking.  MOI is on the 
steering committee, but the MOI and the Ministry of Finance 
differ over who should pay the daily subsistence allowance 
for the field staff, who have been "maximalist in their 
demands," according to UNAMA.  (NOTE: MOI and IEC later 
signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing that MOI will 
pay the allowances.  END NOTE.)  An important element of the 
CVR pilot will be determining how to work with MOI and 
document "how the MOI is found wanting."  Alexander said he 
hopes the JCMB paper will also highlight needed MOI reforms. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Current drafts of the new election law reflect a 
blend of single non-transferable voting (SNTV) and 
proportional representation (PR) with closed lists, but the 
exact proportion is the point of departure for the political 
debate.  The EC representative said there is no interest 
among donors in funding a complicated system.  UNDP said it 
is running a $6.4 million election program to staff IEC 
regional offices and build IEC capacity in cooperation with 
IFES, TAF, and others.  The program currently has $1.4m in 
funding. 
NEUMANN