Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Afghan Lawmakers Reject 10 Cabinet Nominees

   Parliament  however  approves  President  Hamid Karzai's picks to head
   foreign and justice ministries in Saturday's session

   VOA News 16 January 2010
   An  Afghan  parliament  member  votes for the Cabinet in Kabul, 16 Jan
   2010

Photo: AP

   An  Afghan  parliament  member  votes for the Cabinet in Kabul, 16 Jan
   2010

   Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he regrets parliament's decision to
   reject most of his choices on his second slate of Cabinet nominees.
   Parliament's  rejection  Saturday  of ten of Mr. Karzai's 17 nominees,
   again leaves Afghanistan without a functioning government.
   The  president  had most of his original choices for the cabinet posts
   voted down earlier this month.
   The  U.S.  and other countries have been pressuring Mr. Karzai to form
   his   government   ahead  of  an  international  donor  conference  on
   Afghanistan in London later this month.
   Parliament  did  approve  President  Hamid  Karzai's picks to head the
   foreign and justice ministries in Saturday's session.
   Mr.  Karzai's  second roster of Cabinet nominees included three women.
   One  of  the  female nominees was approved Saturday, but the other two
   were rejected.  Lawmakers had rejected the only woman proposed for the
   Cabinet in the earlier vote.
   Some  lawmakers  had criticized the second list, saying it contained a
   number of unknown nominees with little expertise.
   The Afghan president did not submit a name to replace incumbent Energy
   Minister  Ismail  Khan, a former warlord who has been accused of human
   rights abuses.  Khan was rejected in the first vote.

.