VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBUL #0361/01 0301209
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301209Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5158
INFO RHMFISS/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 000361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KIRF EAIR AP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON MINISTER OF HAJI AND 
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Francis Ricciardone; Reasons  (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  In the Ambassador's January 26 meeting 
with the new Afghan Minister of Haji and Islamic Affairs 
(MHIA), Dr. Mohammad Yousef Niazi, they discussed ways the 
Ministry could promote respect for fundamental human rights, 
peace, justice, and national unity through Afghanistan's 
network of some 140,000 mosques, most of which are not 
directly under the Ministry's control.  Highly appreciative 
of the Ambassadors visit, Niazi expressed his desire for 
closer relations with the United States and his commitment to 
draw on Islam to impress upon the Afghan people that it is a 
religion of peace and Americans are their friends.  The 
Ambassador lauded Niazi's presence when Afghan authorities 
had inspected his office for evidence against Niazi's 
predecessor, Sediq Chakari.  End Summary. 
 
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Biographical Information 
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¶2.  (SBU) Mohammad Yousef Niazi was born in 1959 in Nangarhar 
Province's Kama District.  He received his elementary and 
secondary education from the Betab School and the Imam Abu 
Hanifa Seminary in Kabul.  Niazi went to Saudi Arabia for his 
higher education, earning a Bachelor's degree in Shari'ah 
from the Islamic University in Madina.  He completed master's 
and doctorate degrees in Islamic Studies at the Umm Al-Qura 
University in Mecca, where he also taught in 2001.  Niazi 
served in Afghanistan's embassy in Saudi Arabia from 
1996-2000.  He was then appointed curriculum advisor to 
Afghanistan's Education Ministry, where he worked for seven 
years.  Pashtun in origin, Niazi is fluent in Pashto, Dari, 
and Arabic and is the author of several books.  He speaks a 
little English.  (Note: Notwithstanding Niazis' years of 
Islamic training in Saudi Arabia, when he greeted the female 
Deputy Political Counselor at the start of the meeting, he 
extended his hand to shake hers.  End Note.) 
 
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Islamic Principles Support Peace, Justice, Human Rights 
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¶3.  (C) In the Ambassador's courtesy call on Minister Niazi, 
he congratulated Niazi for his appointment and Parliament's 
robust support for his confirmation (Niazi received 130 votes 
in favor, 80 against, 10 abstentions/blanks/spoiled votes, a 
relatively high approval by a very combative legislature). 
Attributing his support in Parliament to his ability to "get 
along with everyone" regardless of ethnic orientation, Niazi 
thanked the Ambassador for his visit.  Unlike some Afghans 
who did not understand the value of U.S. support, Niazi said 
he appreciated our assistance and was cognizant that 
Afghanistan "could not do anything" without U.S. presence. 
He also thanked the Ambassador and the FAA Director attending 
the meeting for our assistance to the very successful 2009 
Haj.  (Note: Last year, over 30,000 Afghans made the 
pilgrimage.  USAID provided H1N1 vaccines for all the 
pilgrims as part of an International Travel Vaccine Program 
for all interested travelers.  End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (C) Referring to Niazi's extensive training as an Islamic 
scholar, the Ambassador sought Niazi's views on how we could 
best help Afghanistan build a legal system that incorporates 
Afghanistan's Islamic tradition.  Appreciative of the 
Ambassador's interest in this subject, Niazi explained that 
this subject was among his priorities.  During his seven-year 
tenure as the Ministry of Education's Curriculum Director of 
Education (2001-2008), Niazi had focused on textbook 
revisions to emphasize the importance of peace, justice, and 
respect for human rights so that future generations of 
Afghans would understand at an early age the importance of 
these values and that they are compatible with Islamic 
principles. 
 
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Never Forget Someone Who Helps You 
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¶5.  (C) Niazi shared his plans to improve Afghan-U.S. 
relations and spread the message that Islam is based on 
peace, justice, and human rights through communications with 
mullahs serving in Afghanistan's network of 140,000 mosques. 
Most of these mosques are not directly controlled by the 
Ministry and, for example, do not have state-supported imams. 
The MHIA's unique position would allow it to influence 
Islamic leaders, who in turn, would influence their 
followers.  So far, the Ministry had not used its position to 
achieve this goal, but Niazi intended to use his good offices 
to that effect.  "The Koran teaches us to respect each 
 
religion and encourages Muslims to live lives of peace and 
cooperation," he explained.  "The Koran also states that 
"never forget someone who helps you," added Niazi. While he 
did not expect to eventually use these teachings to influence 
100 percent of the Afghan people, perhaps 80 percent would be 
convinced. 
 
¶6.  (C) Niazi said his ministry would write materials and 
arrange meetings and seminars to spread the word that Islam 
is a religion of peace, justice, and human rights and that 
the Americans are here to help Afghanistan.  One key segment 
of the population that needed convincing were the mullahs, 
many who considered themselves among the opposition.  For 
example, providing 3,000 Afghanis (approximately USD 60) per 
month to each of Afghanistan's mosques would go a long way to 
demonstrate support and engender trust. 
 
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Help Sought from the U.S. and Muslim Nations 
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¶7.  (C) Responding to the Ambassador's query regarding the 
Ministry's priorities and needs, Niazi said that in addition 
to providing modest financial support, the mosques also need 
audiovisual, computer equipment, and new books that would 
help mullahs develop a modern approach focusing on love 
cooperation and trust, explained Niazi.  The Ambassador asked 
whether the Ministry received funds from Arab countries, 
explaining that U.S. laws restrict financial support to 
advance any particular religion, regardless of denomination. 
Further, U.S. aid could be misconstrued as an effort to 
propagandize and influence Afghanistan's Islamic traditions. 
Notwithstanding these restrictions, the United States does 
support initiatives that advance peace, human rights, and 
justice. 
 
¶8.  (C) Niazi said he was aware of U.S. restrictions and that 
they applied to all faiths.  He was working with the 
Presidency and the Ministry of Interior to obtain funding for 
his objectives.  The Ambassador referred to a common American 
expression "where there is a will there is a way," adding, 
"as long as the way does not send us to jail."  At the close 
of the meeting, the Ambassador expressed his desire for 
further meetings after the Minister had time to settle into 
his position.  The Ambassador suggested holding a working 
lunch with Embassy and Ministry officials to define future 
cooperation opportunities. 
 
¶9.  (C)  In a pull-aside between the Ambassador and Niazi 
following the formal meeting, the Ambassador told him he was 
aware from Afghan law enforcement that Niazi's predecessor 
had issues with accountability and that he had heard Niazi 
had been present when Afghan authorities had inspected the 
office for evidence against his predecessor, Sediq Chakari. 
Niazi's presence had made the investigation more legitimate 
and would likely allow the recovered evidence to be used in 
court explained the Ambassador.  The Ambassador said there 
could be no better ministry than Niazi's to set a "moral 
example" to the Afghan people.  Niazi replied that he lived 
well during his 26 years in Saudi Arabia and during his seven 
years back in Afghanistan.  Now it was time for him to lead, 
and the responsibility of a leader was to lead by example by 
being clean and not allowing corruption.  He was currently 
reviewing his ministry's budget with the assistance of the 
Ministry of Finance.  "When there is zero corruption at the 
top, then there will be zero corruption at the bottom," he 
concluded. 
Ricciardone