VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKT #0966/01 2951105
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221105Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0928
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3290
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7497
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2833
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5538

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000966 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV OPRC NP
SUBJ: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHAN RUNOFF 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Nepal's newly launched but popular 
English daily Republica with an estimated 15,000 
circulation ran an editorial "Afghan runoff" 
cautioning the international community to treat 
Afghan affairs with care lest the Taliban take over 
again.  The English daily's sister vernacular daily 
Nagarik with an estimated 30,000 circulation also 
ran a similar editorial titled "Lesson from Karzai" 
in which the newspaper praised Karzai for accepting 
the election decision and keeping the country's 
interest ahead of his personal desires and commented 
that Nepali leaders can learn from his example. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Full text of Republica editorial: "Afghan 
President Hamid Karzai has finally agreed to hold a 
runoff election after the UN-sponsored independent 
audit declared that over one million votes, one- 
third of what he had received, were fraudulent 
bringing his total share of votes to below 50 
percent. This prompted a runoff election under the 
Afghan constitution. But Karzai relented only to 
persistent international pressure, especially from 
the United States, a country that remains bogged 
down in the war in Afghanistan. US President Barack 
Obama kept his decision to send additional troops to 
Afghanistan on pending and US officials sent strong 
signals that the decision was tied up to whether 
Karzai accepts the results of the independent 
auditing. US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, 
called him and 'advised' him to act like a 
"statesman". UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and 
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also kept 
the pressure boiling on Karzai. Finally, the US sent 
senator, Foreign Relations Committee chairman and 
2004 presidential candidate, John Kerry, to do the 
final arm-twisting, leaving Karzai without an option 
but to relent." 
 
¶3.  "It's such a relief that a man who thought he 
could steal the election and get away with it has 
been forced to realize his limits. But the challenge 
of holding the runoff, in the chilling winter and 
rugged terrains of Afghanistan and that too within 
two weeks, is simply overwhelming. Add to this the 
menace of Talibans, who have lately been 
consolidating their force and gaining grounds. 
Managing the logistics, providing security to the 
Afghans, who risked their lives to cast their votes 
in the first round, is going to be an enormous 
challenge, if not impossible. No less easy will be 
to convince the Afghans to cast their ballots in the 
runoff, especially because their faith in the 
electoral system -and democracy to some extent - has 
eroded to a significant degree. But then again, 
failure to hold the runoff is not an option for 
Kabul needs some semblance of legitimacy if this 
country is to pull off this brutal war and get rid 
of the insurgency. The NATO force, which is on the 
ground in Afghanistan, and which was perhaps in the 
know of what was coming, should gear up to face the 
challenge, provide poll security and help with 
logistics to hold a credible runoff." 
 
¶4.  "Afghanistan is too important a country -and not 
just for the US - to be left to fail. It will have 
immediate ramifications for Pakistan and then for 
India and the whole of South Asia. It's therefore 
the duty of the international community and the 
regional powers to make sure that the Talibans don't 
take back the country and make it, once again, a 
sanctuary for terrorists. It's also equally 
important to ensure that elections cannot be stolen. 
Else, Afghans and many people around the world will 
lose faith in democracy." 
 
¶5.  Translated excerpt of Nagarik editorial "... 
Karzai has taken the right decision by stepping 
aside and trying to find a solution to the political 
stalemate in the country. Though the context is 
different, Nepal's leaders can learn a lesson from 
Karzai.  The country has been in a political 
imbroglio because of the Maoists who have made 
civilian supremacy their agenda... At this point in 
time Nepal's political parties must show the 
flexibility and understanding that President Karzai 
did. And those in the government must be responsible 
and amenable. All know that there can be no way out 
of this without compromise and why delay that?" 
 
 
MOON