Military

DATE=6/17/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-291045

TITLE=AFGHAN POL (L)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=KABUL

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: Afghanistan's grand elective assembly, the Loya Jirga, is in its seventh day. Correspondent Gary Thomas reports delegate dissatisfaction is rising as the Loya Jirga has little to show for its efforts.

TEXT: Loya Jirga delegates were scheduled to pick up where they left when they adjourned Sunday the allocation of seats in an interim legislature.

But council chairman Ismail Qassimyar abruptly announced that they would hear yet more speeches on local issues. He said interim president Hamid Karzai would later address the delegates on the parliament issue.

After yet another morning of speeches from delegates on a wide range of topics, about one-thousand of them walked out not in protest, said delegates, but in boredom from another round of repetitive speeches. Hunger also entered into it, they said it was very close to lunch.

After one week, the Loya Jirga has one accomplishment to point to, the election of Hamid Karzai as interim president. Much time has been taken up with speeches by delegates on a wide range of topics. But it has not resolved key issues, such as the makeup of an interim legislature and who should fill key positions in the government.

Some delegates are grumbling that the Loya Jirga is being deliberately sidetracked from serious national issues by the chair. Delegate Hassan Kakar a former history professor at Kabul University said issues are opened to debate one day, but disappear the next without resolution.

/// KAKAR ACT ///

So far we do not know, the political structure has really not been made clear. And well, the issue is we should talk about the political structure of the future government. And after some delegates have spoken about this issue, then the next day, the issue is dropped, and there is another issue. And so the next issue also is there and that has not gone to the end. Then comes another issue.

/// END ACT ///

The legislature issue sparked an uproar Sunday when the chair offered two competing proposals for the allocation of seats in the interim parliament.

The Bonn Agreement, signed in December, mandates that the Loya Jirga choose an interim government that will chart the path to a new constitution and elections. The agreement's wording is vague. It says the council will approve "key personalities".

But it is not clear how much leeway Mr. Karzai has in choosing his team or even if the Loya Jirga has any real say in the matter. It also says it will choose an interim legislature, but leaves the Loya Jirga to iron out the fine points.

Delegate Humayun Asefi says no one knows what powers this interim legislature will have.

/// ASEFI ACT ///

We do not know the power of the parliament, what will be the use of this parliament. No one knows at all anything about this.

/// END ACT ///

The scope of the Loya Jirga's authority is also ambiguous. Another delegate, Adeena Niazi, says delegates do not even know what powers the Loya Jirga has, especially with regard to who will be in the new cabinet.

/// NIAZI ACT ///

Yeah, this is a big confusion, yeah. What is the power of the parliament? And even as Loya Jirga members, we did not know what are our own powers. As a Loya Jirga, do we have something to say on the selection of ministers, the key ministers?

/// END ACT ///

The Loya Jirga was supposed to finish its work in seven days, but officials say it will likely have to be extended by at least one more day. (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/RAE