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Afghan Presidential Contenders Say They Will Reverse Expulsion of Times Reporter Afghan Presidential Contenders Say They Will Reverse Expulsion of Times Reporter
(about 4 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — The two candidates for president of Afghanistan both pledged on Friday to reverse the expulsion of an American journalist from the country as soon as they take office. KABUL, Afghanistan — The two candidates for president of Afghanistan both pledged on Friday to reverse the expulsion of an American journalist from the country as soon as they took office.
Their condemnation of the Afghan government’s order expelling the New York Times correspondent Matthew Rosenberg was a rare point of agreement between the two rivals, who have been in deadlocked talks over the disputed results of presidential elections, and are attempting to agree on forming a coalition government. Their condemnation of the Afghan government’s order expelling the journalist, Matthew Rosenberg of The New York Times, was a rare point of agreement between the two rivals, who have been in deadlocked talks over the disputed results of the recent presidential election, and are trying to agree on forming a coalition government.
“We believe this act is completely against all applicable constitutional law of Afghanistan and the standards of freedom of speech,” said Fazal Rahman Oria, a spokesman for Abdullah Abdullah, one of the two candidates.“We believe this act is completely against all applicable constitutional law of Afghanistan and the standards of freedom of speech,” said Fazal Rahman Oria, a spokesman for Abdullah Abdullah, one of the two candidates.
Mr. Abdullah’s opponent, Ashraf Ghani, in a staff meeting on Thursday, “personally condemned the expulsion as against Afghan law, against electoral law and a violation of freedom of speech,” said Seddiq Patman, a spokesman for Mr. Ghani.Mr. Abdullah’s opponent, Ashraf Ghani, in a staff meeting on Thursday, “personally condemned the expulsion as against Afghan law, against electoral law and a violation of freedom of speech,” said Seddiq Patman, a spokesman for Mr. Ghani.
The spokesmen for both candidates said a new government would cancel the expulsion of Mr. Rosenberg, which took place on Thursday. The spokesmen for both candidates said a new government would cancel the expulsion of Mr. Rosenberg, who left Kabul on Thursday.
Formation of a new government is expected as early as next week, if both sides are able to reach an agreement on a national unity coalition and on the laborious work of auditing the election results. They are under tremendous pressure from the international community to agree on who should be declared the winner and to negotiate a power-sharing arrangement that also accommodates the loser, and to do so before an important NATO meeting in early September that will discuss future military support for the Afghan government. Formation of a new government is expected as early as next week if both sides are able to reach an agreement on a national unity coalition and on the laborious work of auditing the election results. They are under tremendous pressure from world leaders to agree on who should be declared the winner and to negotiate a power-sharing arrangement that also accommodates the loser, and to do so before an important NATO meeting in early September, where future military support for the Afghan government will be discussed.
In the meantime, President Hamid Karzai has remained in office. Mr. Karzai was believed to be behind the order to expel Mr. Rosenberg, 40, who became the first foreign journalist expelled from Afghanistan since the Taliban regime. He was given 24 hours to leave and departed on Thursday. In the meantime, President Hamid Karzai has remained in office. Mr. Karzai was believed to be behind the order to expel Mr. Rosenberg, 40, who became the first foreign journalist expelled from Afghanistan since the Taliban regime. He was given 24 hours to leave.
The government attributed the expulsion to an article Mr. Rosenberg wrote describing talk among powerful Afghans of forming an interim governing committee if the two candidates could not come to an amicable agreement, a move that would amount to a coup d'état. The government attributed the expulsion to an article Mr. Rosenberg had written describing talk among powerful Afghans of forming an interim governing committee if the two candidates could not come to an amicable agreement, a move that would amount to a coup d'état.
“We believe the people who have potentially originated this black conspiracy, which is completely contrary to democracy and the election process, are the ones who are behind the expulsion of the New York Times reporter after he disclosed it,” Mr. Oria said. He also accused Mr. Karzai and his supporters of trying to prolong his time in power by taking advantage of the electoral impasse. “We believe the people who have potentially originated this black conspiracy, which is completely contrary to democracy and the election process, are the ones who are behind the expulsion of The New York Times reporter after he disclosed it,” Mr. Oria said. He also accused Mr. Karzai and his supporters of trying to prolong his time in power by taking advantage of the electoral impasse.
“I assure you that the day the political transition takes place and power is transferred to the team of Reform and Partnership, or to a government of national unity, the honorable reporter of The New York Times will be allowed to come back to the country and we will make sure to provide him with full security, safety and all possible journalistic opportunity,” he said, referring to the name of Mr. Abdullah’s electoral coalition, Reform and Partnership. Mr. Ghani’s staff expressed similar views. “In reality it means defending the idea of a coup and turning their backs on the whole election process and will of the Afghan people,” read a statement issued by his campaign’s press office regarding Mr. Rosenberg’s expulsion. “The article made clear that some leaders in government are planning to divert the democratic process.”
Mr. Rosenberg left the country after being served an order by the attorney general’s office, which described him as a spy and said his article had endangered national security. It did not, however, specify which laws Mr. Rosenberg had allegedly violated, or give any details about its allegations. Media lawyers here have said that the government did not follow its own legal procedures for the handling of complaints against the news media in this case. Referring to Mr. Abdullah’s electoral coalition, Mr. Oria said: “I assure you that the day the political transition takes place and power is transferred to the team of Reform and Partnership, or to a government of national unity, the honorable reporter of The New York Times will be allowed to come back to the country and we will make sure to provide him with full security, safety and all possible journalistic opportunity.”
Mr. Rosenberg left the country after being served an order by the attorney general’s office, which described him as a spy and said his article had endangered national security. It did not, however, specify which laws Mr. Rosenberg was accused of violating, or give any other details. Media lawyers here have said the government did not follow its own legal procedures for the handling of complaints against the news media in this case.
“There are certain countries in the world that do this to journalists under the pretext of damaging national security,” Mr. Abdullah said in a telephone interview Friday. “If there is one achievement in Afghanistan the last 13 years, that’s freedom of expression, freedom of media, and this is not good. It doesn’t send the right signal about Afghanistan.
“I don’t think there was anything damaging to the national security interests as far as Mr. Rosenberg’s reporting was concerned,” he added. “Someone told him things and he reported on them.”