Karzai wants to select new cabinet

Intense discussions and bargaining in Kabul

Afghanistan's head of state Hamid Karzai has told the loya jirga, or the traditional grand assembly, that he wants to choose the members of his new cabinet.

Mr Karzai wants more control in his hands

According to the Bonn accord signed last year which outlined the course of Afghanistan's political evolution, the loya jirga was supposed to approve key appointments, but the debate on the issue had become bogged down.

On Monday, as the meeting entered an unscheduled seventh day, scores of delegates walked out of the morning session when they heard it was to be devoted to speeches by delegates rather than to decision-making.

Early in his speech, Mr Karzai said he was aware of delegates receiving death threats which he said were against the loya jirga's spirit and if delegates briefed him privately on these, he would take necessary action.

A vote on setting up a parliament was cancelled late on Sunday in the loya jirga tent in the capital Kabul, where the country's political future is to be decided.

Delegates had expected Mr Karzai to come on Monday morning and express his views before a vote on the matter was held.

The BBC's Kate Clark says this was not an organised walk-out, just scores of delegates leaving individually in frustration at what they see as time-wasting.

Haggling

One delegate told the Reuters news agency that fresh fighting could break out if the assembly did not agree on a new government.

Discussions have gone on for seven days

"There's no point hanging around listening to boring speeches so we're leaving," delegate Sayed Nimatullah was quoted as saying.

There has been intense haggling between Mr Karzai and delegation leaders, as splits emerge over whether parliamentary deputies should be elected along regional or tribal lines.

Another delegate said she would not have bothered to come to Kabul if she'd known the loya jirga would have been allowed so little influence.

Our correspondent says everything is on hold in Kabul until Mr Karzai arrives.

Stalled

Until then delegates from across Afghanistan will give unrelated speeches with no voting, no decisions and no structured debate.

Some delegates have been angered by a proposal by Mr Karzai to create a 111-member consultative assembly drawn from loya jirga members.

Although he was vague as to the assembly's duties, there was some controversy over suggestions from government officials that this assembly - rather than the loya jirga itself - would approve cabinet posts.

Under the UN-brokered power-sharing deal signed last December in Bonn, a majority of delegates must approve Mr Karzai's key appointments and the structure of the new government.

Neither matter has as yet been discussed.

Pressure

The Bonn accord envisages a new parliament being established in direct elections in about 18 months.

Mr Karzai is under pressure from some of his fellow Pashtuns, who want him to drop one or more of his key ministers - dominated by Tajiks - to make the new government more representative.

Delegates have voiced concern about the presence of warlords at the loya jirga and fear that many of the ministries could again be filled with men from the armed factions.