VZCZCXRO2326
PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0160/01 0221003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221003Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6953
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS 
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KDEM MARR AF
SUBJECT: KARZAI HIGHLIGHTS GOVERNMENT'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND 
CONDEMNS CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN PARLIAMENT SPEECH 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  President Karzai called on U.S. and 
international forces to prevent civilian casualties in a 
State of the Union-style speech opening Parliament's new 
session January 20.  In addition to his appeal to revise the 
international coalition's military strategy, Karzai ran 
through a laundry list of his administration's achievements 
and challenged international criticism of his government's 
record on drug trafficking and corruption.  Karzai also 
thanked the international community for its support and cited 
improving relations with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, and 
Russia. 
 
Security 
---------- 
 
¶2.    Karzai strongly condemned civilian casualties and other 
actions by foreign forces that distressed Afghan civilians in 
his speech before both houses of Parliament.  The president 
called on the U.S. and NATO to review their military strategy 
and better coordinate with Afghan security forces.  Karzai 
also lauded troop increases in the Afghan army and called on 
insurgent groups to join the reconciliation process.  MPs, 
who sat respectfully quiet for most of the 70-minute speech, 
cheered the president's remarks on only two occasions:  his 
condemnation of civilian casualties and a later remark in 
support of Palestinians. 
 
Counter-Narcotics and Anti-Corruption Efforts 
---------- 
 
¶3.    Karzai lashed out against foreign criticism of 
Afghanistan's counter-narcotics efforts, saying the 
government had made significant gains in fighting poppy 
cultivation in provinces where it held authority.  Increased 
poppy cultivation and drug activity, he said, only occurred 
in areas outside of the government's control.  He blamed 
foreign demand for opium and claimed most drug profits went 
to organizations outside of the country.  Karzai also 
promised to continue to fight corruption, highlighting the 
role of the attorney general's anti-corruption initiative. 
 
International Aid 
---------- 
 
¶4.    Karzai thanked foreign partners for development 
assistance provided over the past seven years, mentioning the 
U.S. as one of the countries offering educational and 
training opportunities for Afghan students.  However, he said 
the international community needed to re-evaluate its methods 
of channeling assistance funds.  Karzai said he preferred aid 
agencies send money directly to the Afghan government, 
claiming significant aid money was lost to corruption when 
channeled through other institutions and companies. 
 
Other Issues 
---------- 
 
¶5.     Karzai raised a number of other issues in his speech, 
including: 
 
-     Education.  Karzai praised the increasing number of 
students in primary, secondary, and higher education.  He 
said new school construction would continue and pointed to 
improvements in teachers' wages and curriculum standards. 
-     Energy and the Environment.  Karzai applauded work on 
hydroelectric dams and promised a resolution on an 
electricity deal with Uzbekistan.  He urged the business 
community to import better quality fuel to reduce air 
pollution in Kabul. 
-     Health.  Karzai promoted his government's record on 
health care, asserting access had been extended to 85 percent 
of the population. 
-     Infrastructure.  Karzai detailed completed or ongoing 
road projects, adding the government needed to address 
maintenance issues.  He also thanked Japan for the new Kabul 
International Airport terminal. 
-     Media.  Karzai said the media needed to protect the 
nation's religious and historical interests in addition to 
its own freedoms.  He said "unfortunate circles" in the media 
were sowing disunity. 
-     Women.  Karzai urged action to prevent violence against 
women.  He praised women for increasing their participation 
in society and education. 
-     Refugees.  Karzai said refugees needed to return 
voluntarily and asked Afghan communities and government 
bodies to prepare for their arrival. 
-     Gaza.  Karzai condemned civilian casualties in Gaza and 
asked the international community to do more to restore 
stability there. (Traditionally moderate on the Palestinian 
 
KABUL 00000160  002 OF 002 
 
 
issue, Karzai's remarks on the situation on Gaza have been 
restrained.) 
 
Parliament Speakers Bookend Karzai's Remarks 
---------- 
 
¶6.     Lower and Upper House Speakers Yunus Qanooni and 
Sebghatullah Mojaddedi delivered remarks before and after the 
president, respectively.  Qanooni promised Parliament's 
continued support for the fight against terrorism and 
commemorated the MPs killed in the November 2007 Baghlan 
bombing.  Qanooni closed with a promise to always act in 
accordance with the Constitution, a possible reference to 
Parliament's ongoing election date dispute with Karzai. 
Mojaddedi, speaking last, delivered a feisty 15-minute 
speech, echoing Karzai's comments on civilian casualties, 
Gaza, and foreign demand for opium.  In a light-hearted 
moment, Mojaddedi referenced his brief time as head of a 
transitional government, telling MPs, "if you had left me in 
charge, I would have solved all of these problems by now." 
WOOD