Karzai Wants Cabinet Ratified Before Key Conference

Afghan President Hamid Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has told his country's parliament that he wants a complete cabinet in time for the January 28 London conference on Afghanistan.

Parliament last week rejected 17 of Karzai's 24 cabinet nominees and awaits a new list of choices.

Karzai spokesman Wahid Omar said the president will submit new candidates on January 9 or 10.

The new list will include several of the nominees rejected earlier by parliament, Omar said, but they will be assigned different positions.

Karzai on January 4 ordered parliament to suspend its winter break in order to ratify the cabinet.

compiled from agency reports