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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Afghan MPs back foreign minister | Afghan MPs back foreign minister |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Afghan parliament has backed the appointment of Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasul, part of President Hamid Karzai's second list of cabinet nominees. | The Afghan parliament has backed the appointment of Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasul, part of President Hamid Karzai's second list of cabinet nominees. |
| Mr Rasul, formerly President Karzai's security adviser, is the first of 17 new nominees being voted on by MPs. | |
| The vote comes two weeks after MPs rejected most of Mr Karzai's first choices, dealing him a serious blow. | The vote comes two weeks after MPs rejected most of Mr Karzai's first choices, dealing him a serious blow. |
| Correspondents say concerns remain over some of the candidates and it is unlikely they will all be approved. | Correspondents say concerns remain over some of the candidates and it is unlikely they will all be approved. |
| After the first vote on 2 January, Mr Karzai ordered MPs to cancel their winter break to speed up progress towards getting a functioning government in place. | After the first vote on 2 January, Mr Karzai ordered MPs to cancel their winter break to speed up progress towards getting a functioning government in place. |
| The rejection of 17 of Mr Karzai's 24 original choices was seen as a blow to his authority, already damaged after an election marred by fraud in August. | The rejection of 17 of Mr Karzai's 24 original choices was seen as a blow to his authority, already damaged after an election marred by fraud in August. |
| The new list - 14 men and three women - includes none of the previously rejected nominees. | The new list - 14 men and three women - includes none of the previously rejected nominees. |
| MPs have spent the last week questioning the new candidates on their suitability for the posts and Saturday's vote - by secret ballot - is expected to take most of the day. | MPs have spent the last week questioning the new candidates on their suitability for the posts and Saturday's vote - by secret ballot - is expected to take most of the day. |
| Mr Karzai faces strong international pressure to create a government that can oversee reforms. | Mr Karzai faces strong international pressure to create a government that can oversee reforms. |
| The UN has said international funding for Afghanistan's parliamentary elections this year will depend on reform of the country's election institutions. | The UN has said international funding for Afghanistan's parliamentary elections this year will depend on reform of the country's election institutions. |