| Home | News| Living in China| MMS | SMS | About us | Contact us|
   
 Language Tips > VOA Normal speed news



Afghan president names new cabinet
Ayaz Gul         

 

Afghan president names new cabinet Listen to this story

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has announced his cabinet, more than two months after winning election. President Karzai hassidelinedpowerful regionalwarlordsin the new cabinet and has brought in well-educatedtechnocratsto run the ministries.

A government official announced the new cabinet on state-run television.

The most controversial Afghan warlord and former Defense Minister Mohammed Qasim Fahim has been dropped in favor of Abdul Rahim Wardak, a widely respected political figure.

Another warlord and former education minister, Yunus Qanooni, has also been pushed out. Both of them were from the ethnic-Tajikminority and had helped the Untied States dislodge the Taleban from power in Kabul three years ago.

The only former warlord remaining in the cabinet is Ismail Khan whom President Karzai removed as governor of western Herat province earlier this year. He becomes minister for energy. Mr. Karzai has come under criticism for including Mr. Khan.

Professor Rasool Amin is a former education minister. [He said]: "The people wanted Mr. Karzai to rid Afghanistan of all these warlords. They would be disappointed."

In one of the significant moves, three women have been appointed to the cabinet. Among them is Massouda Jalal who ran against Mr. Karzai in October's presidential elections.

Mr. Karzai retained Interior Minister Ali Jalali and Foreign Minister Abdullah. Under new Afghan legislation, Mr. Jalali, who holds a U.S passport, will need torenouncehis dual nationality to keep the post.

The Afghan president has created a new ministry for anti-narcotics to be headed by engineer Habibullah, which will oversee the fight against increasing opium production in Afghanistan.

The appointment of the cabinet is seen crucial to the process of reconstruction in this war-ravaged country.

Vocabulary:

sideline: to remove or keep from active participation(迫使退出)

warlord: a military commander exercising civil power in a region, whether in nominal allegiance to the national government or in defiance of it.(军阀,军阀式首脑)

technocrat: a technical expert, especially one in a managerial or administrative position(技术专家官员)

Tajik: a member of a people inhabiting the Tadzhik S.S.R. and neighboring areas in the U.S.S.R., Afghanistan, and China.(塔吉克族,居住在塔吉克苏维埃社会主义共和国和相邻的原苏联、阿富汗和中国地区内民族成员)

renounce: to give up (a title, for example), especially by formal announcement(正式放弃,宣布断绝关系)

 
Go to Other Sections
Story Tools
 
Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved

版权声明:未经中国日报网站许可,任何人不得复制本栏目内容。如需转载请与本网站联系。
None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.