VZCZCXRO1662
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #2735 2280613
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160613Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9739
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
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4197

UNCLAS KABUL 002735 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT 
RELEASABLE TO NATO/ISAF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCOR EAID AF
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENT PASSES UN CONVENTION AGAINST 
CORRUPTION, AWAITING ANTI-CORRUPTION PLAN 
 
¶1. (SBU) The lower house of the Afghan National Assembly 
(Wolesi Jirga) passed the United Nations Convention Against 
Corruption (UNCAC) on August 15.  Its passage by the upper 
house and ratification will complete an Afghanistan Compact 
benchmark. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Government of Afghanistan signed the UNCAC on 
February 20, 2004, and the Afghanistan Compact called for its 
ratification by end-2006.  The delay has been blamed on poor 
translation and concern that it might contradict existing 
Afghan laws and thus make necessary wholesale revision of 
laws on the books.  After rejecting two Dari translations of 
the UNCAC submitted by the Ministry of Justice legislative 
department, the Wolesi Jirga accepted a third version 
provided by the U.S.-funded Justice Sector Support Program. 
The Afghanistan Compact requires that the government make 
national legislation compliant with the UNCAC by end-2007 and 
to establish a monitoring mechanism to oversee implementation 
by end-2008.  The Ministry of Justice, with support from the 
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is responsible for 
reviewing existing legislation to ensure compatibility with 
the UNCAC.  Substantive changes in existing legislation will 
be required. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Ratification of the UNCAC will substantially alter 
aspects of anti-corruption law enforcement in Afghanistan. 
For instance, it allows for extradition for corruption 
offenses between countries party to the UNCAC that lack 
extradition treaties, and endorses the use of undercover 
operations and electronic intercepts in corruption 
investigations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Apart from the UNCAC, the other major component of 
Afghanistan's anti-corruption effort is the development of a 
government-wide anti-corruption strategy.  After missing 
several self-imposed deadlines, Supreme Court Chief Justice 
Azimi's commission has told UNAMA that its report will be 
ready before the next JCMB meeting in late September. 
 
WOOD