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Afghan MPs back foreign minister Karzai in second cabinet setback
(about 1 hour 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 rejected 10 of 17 new cabinet nominees suggested by President Hamid Karzai.
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 turned down 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. Two key posts were approved - Zalmay Rasul as foreign minister and Habibullah Ghalib as justice minister.
Correspondents say concerns remain over some of the candidates and it is unlikely they will all be approved. However, MPs backed only one of the president's three women nominees, Amina Afzali, who becomes work and social affairs minister.
As the results started to come in, Mr Karzai's choice for justice minister, Habibullah Ghalib, was also approved. The two women put forward for the posts of public health and women's affairs were rejected.
MPs also backed one of his three women nominees, Amina Afzali, as work and social affairs minister. Correspondents say it is not clear when the president will propose names to fill the vacant positions and when Parliament would then vote for these candidates.
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 included none of the previously rejected nominees.
Secret ballot MPs spent the last week questioning the new candidates ahead of Saturday's vote, which was carried out by 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.
"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.