From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3994715.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 2009-06-22
<p>
<pre>

S E C R E T STATE 064621
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2019 
TAGS: AF, PREL, PGOV 
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN - DOSTUM'S ROLE

Classified By: SRAP Richard C Holbrooke for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
 

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. 
Post is requested to provide a response by close of business 
Wednesday, June 24.

2. (SBU) Abdul Rashid Dostum left Afghanistan for Turkey in 
2008, following the Akbar Boi incident in Kabul. He has 
remained largely out of the Afghan public spotlight since 
then, with the reformist elements of Junbesh taking charge 
under Noorallah.

3. (C) We know that Dostum has promised Karzai the Junbesh / 
Uzbek vote in the forthcoming Afghan Presidential elections. 
What he is getting in return is unclear: there are rumors 
that Dostum has been reinstated in his ceremonial role as 
Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief. We understand from 
information in other channels that Dostum may be planning to 
return to Afghanistan as part of this bargain. Akbar Boi has 
threatened to release the (apparently written) text of the 
original Dostum-Akbar Boi deal, brokered by Karzai and the 
Palace, that effectively kept Dostum out of the country.

4. (C) Both former Foreign Minister Babacan and Foreign 
Minister Davutogliu told Ambassador Holbrooke they would keep 
Dostum in Turkey indefinitely.

5. (S) Action request: That Ambassador Jeffrey engage with 
hosts at the highest level possible to establish their 
understanding of the situation, and make clear that we would 
not/not like to see Dostum return to Afghanistan.

6. (S) Karzai may resent our efforts to keep Dostum away. We 
understand this risk but believe it will also send an 
important signal to Karzai that the rules really have changed 
and we will be tougher on important issues in his next term.

7. (U) Points of contact for this cable are XXXXX.

CLINTON 
</pre>