VZCZCXRO7014
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHBUL #1647/01 1741600
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231600Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9689
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001647 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: ABDULLAH HIGHLIGHTS DECENTRALIZATION PLATFORM IN 
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: KABUL 1590 
 
¶1. (U) The Ambassador continued his public engagement with 
opposition presidential candidates with a joint press 
appearance alongside Abdullah Abdullah on June 21.  During 
the event, covered widely by Afghan and international media, 
Abdullah highlighted his proposals to decentralize the 
government and promote a switch to a parliamentary system and 
elected governors.  Abdullah, like Ashraf Ghani in an earlier 
press conference with the Ambassador (reftel), challenged 
Karzai to a public debate on the issues.  Abdullah said he 
was grateful for President Obama's statement on the US 
impartiality in the election and looked forward to engaging 
Afghan voters with his platform during the campaign. 
 
¶2. (U) The Ambassador told journalists he wanted to 
demonstrate US impartiality and commitment to credible, 
secure, and inclusive elections.  The US neither supported 
nor opposed any one presidential candidate.  Moreover, this 
year's election was an opportunity for Afghan voters to give 
the government a "report card" on its past five years, and 
for candidates to vigorously debate the issues and offer 
solutions to problems that most concern Afghans.  The 
Ambassador's remarks, as prepared, follow in para 6. 
 
¶3. (U) Journalists quizzed Abdullah on his ties to the United 
Front opposition coalition of prominent mujahideen leaders. 
Abdullah said he was an "independent candidate," running with 
the support of the UF and other political groups.  Abdullah 
downplayed the results of a recent International Republican 
Institute poll showing Abdullah with single-digit support for 
his campaign.  Abdullah instead pointed to the poll's 
findings that Afghans were disappointed in the government's 
performance in several areas, particularly fighting 
corruption.  "This shows the people want change, and that 
they are upset Karzai has taken us from a good situation to a 
bad one," he said. 
 
¶4. (U) During a private conversation before the press 
conference, Abdullah told the Ambassador he expected Karzai 
to increase the aggressiveness of his campaign against the 
leading candidates as Karzai becomes more "worried" about his 
own vulnerability.  Abdullah requested more attention to 
government officials' alleged interference in the campaign. 
Separate from the election politics, Abdullah told the 
Ambassador he was concerned with deteriorating security in 
Kunduz and Baghlan, hopeful for better relations with 
Pakistan, and advised caution on managing Afghan public 
perceptions of US plans to increase troop deployments in 
Afghanistan.  The Ambassador urged Abdullah to focus his 
energy on bringing his ideas for the future of the government 
to the people and to give the US and international community 
specific requests on what assistance could be provided to 
opposition campaigns to help create a fair and transparent 
election. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Later that evening following the press conference, 
Foreign Minister Spanta called the Ambassador to express his 
objection to the media events.  Spanta, almost certainly 
calling on Karzai's behalf, said the events constituted 
interference in the campaign.  The Ambassador replied that he 
had accepted the candidates' invitations to appear at the 
events, and had simply reiterated President Obama's statement 
on the United States' impartiality in the elections. 
 
¶6. (U) Begin Ambassador Eikenberry's remarks, as prepared: 
 
I am pleased to be here today with Dr. Abdullah, one of 
Afghanistan's most important political leaders.  I am seeing 
Dr. Abdullah today as I did Dr. Ghani yesterday, as I seek - 
as US Ambassador - to meet with Afghanistan's presidential 
candidates to begin a political discussion. 
 
In the coming days and weeks I will meet the presidential 
candidates in forums like this and others, to encourage a 
productive and substantive political debate.  It will be a 
debate, I hope, that will energize the electorate and lead to 
a national discussion on the future course for your country. 
 
A national discussion like this is not only in your national 
interest, it is in the US national interest.  Our two 
countries will be partners over the long-term and we faces 
challenges both in the immediate and beyond.  The United 
States wishes to learn about the vision of those who may lead 
your country over the next five years.  I began that 
conversation with Dr. Ghani yesterday, and I will continue it 
today with Dr. Abdullah, and plan to have that discussion 
with others in the coming days and weeks. 
 
If Dr. Abdullah and others would indulge me, I would like to 
make some brief and general remarks on the US view and 
 
KABUL 00001647  002 OF 002 
 
 
approach to the upcoming elections here. 
 
As President Obama has said, each nation gives life to 
democracy in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its 
people.  The United States does not support or oppose any 
particular presidential or provincial council candidate. 
Instead, we support the right of the people of Afghanistan to 
choose their own leaders.  The US seeks an enduring 
partnership with the Afghan people, not with any particular 
leader. 
 
This is an important time for Afghanistan, the first time 
you, the Afghan people, will run your elections. 
Afghanistan's first election five years ago was about 
establishing the state and government of the country.  This 
second election this year is about the future of the 
government.  The election is a chance for the people to give 
the government a report card on its performance over the last 
five years.  It is a chance for all candidates to discuss 
their vision for the country's future. 
 
The US is committed to working toward fair and transparent 
elections, and a debate of ideas.  The international 
community, especially the US, is working hard to ensure these 
critical pieces during the election season. 
 
There are excellent mechanisms in place to help ensure the 
quality of this election, including the Independent Election 
Commission and Electoral Complaints Commission.  The US and 
international community stand ready to assist should there be 
any shortcomings.  We are interested in helping to ensure 
fair access to the media and the opportunity for candidates 
to travel to the provinces to meet voters. 
 
We are certain the Afghan people will expect and will want 
and should have a debate on policy issues.  People should 
make their choices based on the issues, not on political 
deals or non-policy commitments. 
 
We want to see the candidates' thoughts on security, on ANA 
and ANP reform.  We want to see the candidates' positions on 
how to improve poor governance, since poor governance causes 
insecurity. 
 
We look to the Afghan voters to hold the candidates to 
account. 
 
Finally, the US looks forward to a substantive debate.  We 
will look to the candidates and the voters to determine the 
way forward for your country, and the way forward in your 
country's partnership with the United States. 
EIKENBERRY