(10 Jun 2002)
1. Exterior tent where the loya jirga is due to take place
2. Tent
3. Delegates arriving
4. Set-up for press conference
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Zalmay Khalilzad, United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan:
"They need to get their act together, they have an opportunity. We are here to be helpful, but this is ultimately their responsibility and they have an historic chance to turn a new page. They better grab it, they had one of these about 12 years ago, they missed the boat. Look what happened in Afghanistan, don't do it again."
6. Exterior of King's residence
7. Photo-call with Afghanistan's interim leader, Hamid Karzai and Mohammad Zaher Shah
8. Cutaway Mohammad Zaher Shah
9. Cutaway Karzai
10. Set-up for press conference
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's interim leader :
"He will have the highest state protocol, as such, I am grateful to him for the kind words he has expressed about me, and for the confidence His Majesty has placed in me to go on and serve as the transition head of the administration that is after the Loya Jirga of course decides about it. As far as His Majesty is concerned I am very grateful for that, I will be as faithful and loyal to him as I have been in the past, thank you."
12. Tents at Loya Jirga centre
STORYLINE:
The opening session of the Loya Jirga, the grand council called to organise a new Afghan government, was postponed for a day on Monday as differences on the future role of the country's former king emerged.
The special U-S envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said the former monarch, Mohammad Zaher Shah, would say later on Monday that he would not accept the post as head of state. The envoy said Zaher Shah would endorse interim leader Hamid Karzai for head of state.
He also said this was an historic opportunity for Afghanistan which they must not spurn.
The meeting was to have opened on Monday morning, with 1,550 delegates charged with selecting a new government to run the country until elections in 18 months time.
The opening session was reset for three p.m. local on Tuesday.
Leaders of the mainly Tajik northern alliance, who dominate the current interim regime, strongly oppose any role for Zaher Shah in the new government.
However, many of the delegates from the country's major ethnic group, the Pashtuns, want the ex-king to have a formal role in the next government.
The delegates, among them 200 women, must select a head of state, decide the framework of the transitional government and name ministers to key posts. The new government will lead for 18 months pending elections.
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