VZCZCXRO7234
PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #3111 3381039
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031039Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6286
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 003111 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS 
NSC FOR JWOOD 
OSD FOR MCGRAW 
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV AF
SUBJECT: DECLARED AND LIKELY AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES 
 
REF: KABUL 1440 
 
¶1. (SBU) Provided below, for addressees reference, is an 
update to reftel from June on declared and likely 
presidential candidates, with ethnicity in parentheses. 
Addressees should take care when dealing with those listed 
not to convey the misimpression of USG endorsement of a 
particular candidacy. 
 
¶2. (SBU) This list is not exhaustive and is subject to 
change.  Many rumored candidates have talked up their 
candidacies for self-promotional motives and may not intend 
to run for elective office.  Declared candidates are those 
who have made repeated, public statements regarding their 
intentions.  With no set election date, we do not yet know 
when the official filing period will begin.  Likely 
candidates are those Embassy believes are considering a run 
or who may be asked by political parties and factions to run 
as their candidate.  We list the candidates here recognizing 
some have very little, if any, base of support and would 
receive only a small fraction of the vote if they were to 
run. 
 
¶3.    (SBU) Declared presidential candidates: 
 
-     President Karzai (Pashtun) 
-     Ramazan Bashardost, Lower House MP (Hazara) 
-     Abdul Qader Imami Ghori, Lower House MP (Tajik) 
-     Abdul Jabar Sabit, former attorney general (Pashtun) 
 
¶4.    (SBU) Likely or rumored presidential candidates: 
 
-     Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former Foreign Minister 
(Tajik/Pashtun) 
-     Anwarulhaq Ahadi, Finance Minister who may resign 
(Pashtun) 
-     Edayat Amin Arsallah, senior minister in Cabinet 
(Pashtun) 
-     Engineer Ehsanullah Bayat, businessman and 
philanthropist (Pashtun) 
-     Pir Gailani, head of religiously influential family 
(Pashtun) 
-     Ashraf Ghani, former Finance Minister (Pashtun) 
-     Masooda Jalal, only female candidate in 2004 election 
(Tajik) 
-     Ali Ahmad Jalali, former Interior Minister (Pashtun) 
-     Ahmad Zia Massoud, First Vice President (Tajik) 
-     Ustad Mutasem Bellah Mazhabi, moderate religious 
scholar (Pashtun) 
-     Prof. Abdul Rassoul Amin, former Education Minister 
(Pashtun) 
-     Prince Ali Seraj, nephew of the late king (Pashtun) 
-     Gul Aqa Sherzai, Nangarhar Governor (Pashtun) 
-     Mohammad Dawood Sultanzoi, Lower House MP (Pashtun) 
 
¶5.    (SBU) Persons once thought likely to be candidates, now 
unlikely to run: 
 
-     Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Interior Minister (Pashtun) 
-     Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum (Uzbek) 
-     Haji Mohammad Mohaqqeq, Lower House MP (Hazara) 
-     Yunus Qanooni, Speaker of the Lower House (Tajik) 
-     Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani, Lower House MP and former 
president (Tajik) 
-     Mustapha Zahir Shah, grandson of the late king (Pashtun) 
DELL