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Afghan Lawmakers Reject Two Ministers, Confirm Foreign Minister

KABUL, April 20, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Afghan lawmakers have barred two serving cabinet ministers from returning to their posts.

Parliamentarians voted to reject President Hamid Karzai's nomination of Economy Minister Amin Farhang and Information and Culture Minister Sayyed Makhdum Rahin to hold the same posts in the country's new cabinet.

Both men have served in Karzai's cabinet for about three years.

Afghanistan's newly established parliament began voting today on the nominations of 25 ministers proposed by President Karzai.

Earlier in the day, lawmakers confirmed Rangin Dadfar Spanta as the country's next foreign minister, approved the retention of Abdul Rahim Wardak as defense minister, and promoted Zarar Ahmad Moqbel to the post of interior minister.

Spanta, a Western-educated democrat and foreign affairs adviser to President Karzai, replaces Abdullah Abdullah, the last major leader of the Northern Alliance in the Afghan cabinet.

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org