Afghan president resubmits cabinet nominees

Karzai last week ordered parliament to cancel its winter recess to consider new nominations for cabinet posts after it threw out most of his original choices.

"I wish to express my thanks to parliament for postponing its vacation to do this important job for our country," said Second Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili.

As he presented 16 nominees to the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, each came forward and bowed to the parliamentarians.

Of the 24 names Karzai put forward last month for cabinet portfolios, only seven won approval in a secret ballot of 232 of the 249 lawmakers.

For the post of foreign minister, for which there was no nominee last time round, former cabinet minister and current national security advisor to Karzai, Zalmi Rasool, was nominated.

The new list includes three women -- nominated for the women's affairs, public health, and social affairs portfolios. The only woman on the original list, incumbent women's affairs minister Husn Banu Ghazanfar, was rejected.