Key participants in Afghanistan's peace jirga

Wed Jun 2, 2010 1:09am EDT

KABUL, June 2 (Reuters) - Some 1,300 elders and notables from across Afghanistan are gathered in the capital, Kabul, to discuss prospects for making peace with the Taliban.[nSGE6500JJ]

They will discuss proposals put forward by Afghan President Hamid Karzai that include talks with certain moderate insurgents, getting some Taliban names removed from a U.N. blacklist and perhaps securing asylum for some leaders in a fellow-Islamic nation from where they could hold talks.

Following are brief biographies of some of the key participants at the conference beginning Wednesday.

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SUBGHATULLAH MUJADIDI

Subghatullah Mujadidi served as Afghan president for two months after the Soviet-backed government in Kabul fell to the mujahideen in 1992.

A highly respected leader, Mujadidi was appointed chairman of the 2003 loya jirga, or grand assembly, that drafted Afghanistan's constitution.

Currently the head of parliament's upper house, he is also head of the National Commission for Peace, a body that offers amnesty to former Taliban militants.

He will be a key figure in setting the agenda of the jirga and keeping participants on track.

FAROOQ WARDAK

Farooq Wardak is education minister in Karzai's cabinet but was also operational manager for the 2003 loya jirga.

Fluent in at least four languages, Wardak was given responsibility for the joint Afghan-Pakistan peace jirga in 2006. Wardak is the main organiser of this jirga and as such will have a great deal of influence on proceedings.

MOHAMMAD MASOOM STANEKZAI

A security adviser to the Afghan president, Stanekzai is also charge of a commission seeking to reintegrate and demobilise armed groups including the low-rank Taliban fighters.

A top government official, Stanekzai served as telecommunication minister from 2002-2004.

He earned a masters degree from Cambridge University and another from Preston University, both in Britain.

PROF. BURHANUDDIN RABANI

Rabani was president of Afghanistan from 1992-1996 after the mujahideen defeated the communist regime in Kabul. His government fell to the Taliban in late 1996. Rabani is a veteran mujahideen leader and is also the main opposition leader. His presence and decades of war experience would certainly help delegates in crafting a peace plan, government officials say.

WAKIL AHMAD MUTTAWAKIL

Muttawakil was the Taliban foreign minister from 1996-2001 but surrendered months after U.S.-led coalition troops raided Afghanistan in the wake of Sept 11., 2001 attacks.

After spending 18 months in prison, Muttawakil was released as a moderate and is now a mediator between the Taliban and Afghan government. He lives in Kabul and officials say he could play an important role.

MULLAH ABDUL SALAM

A former top Taliban commander, Mullah Salam is now governor of Musa Qala, a district in southern Helmand province that was governed by the Taliban for over nine months in 2007. (For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: here) (Compiled by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by David Fox and Sanjeev Miglani hamid.shalizi@thomsonreuters.com; +93 799 390 693)



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