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| Afghan MPs back foreign minister | Afghan MPs back foreign minister |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Afghan parliament has backed Zalmay Rasul as Foreign Minister, a key member of President Hamid Karzai's revised list of cabinet nominations. | The Afghan parliament has backed Zalmay Rasul as Foreign Minister, a key member of President Hamid Karzai's revised list of cabinet nominations. |
| Mr Rasul, formerly President Karzai's security adviser, is the first of 17 new nominees being voted on by MPs. | 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. |
| As the results started to come in, Mr Karzai's choice for justice minister, Habibullah Ghalib, was also approved. | As the results started to come in, Mr Karzai's choice for justice minister, Habibullah Ghalib, was also approved. |
| MPs also backed one of his three women nominees, Amina Afzali, as work and social affairs minister. | MPs also backed one of his three women nominees, Amina Afzali, as work and social affairs minister. |
| But the two women put forward for the posts of public health and women's affairs were rejected. | But the two women put forward for the posts of public health and women's affairs were rejected. |
| 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 includes none of the previously rejected nominees. | The new list includes none of the previously rejected nominees. |
| Secret ballot | Secret ballot |
| MPs have spent the last week questioning the new candidates, and Saturday's vote - by secret ballot - is expected to take most of the day. | |
| MP Fowzai Kofi said she was not impressed by Mr Karzai's second list. | MP Fowzai Kofi said she was not impressed by Mr Karzai's second list. |
| "I think the ministers that will get [a] vote of confidence will be a minority, [the] majority will be rejected this time, because it is weak," she said. | "I think the ministers that will get [a] vote of confidence will be a minority, [the] majority will be rejected this time, because it is weak," she said. |
| However, some other MPs disagreed. | |
| "Considering the national unity and the making of government, most of the ministers will get a vote of confidence from the parliament," said Haji Wali Jan Saboori, an MP from Helmand province. | |
| 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. |
| Mr Karzai is also under pressure to form a government before a crucial donor conference in London on 28 January. | Mr Karzai is also under pressure to form a government before a crucial donor conference in London on 28 January. |