Afghan president finally nominates cabinet ministers

(Reuters) - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani nominated ministers for his new cabinet on Monday, after a wait of more than three months, to try to establish a working government to tackle the violence-racked country's problems.

Many government institutions have been all-but-paralyzed for a year amid a drawn-out election crisis and uncertainty over whether the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops last month will lead to more violence by Taliban insurgents.

Ghani's chief of staff announced the 25 cabinet nominees at a ceremony attended by Ghani, who did not speak.

"The government will refer them to the parliament for a vote of confidence," Ghani chief of staff Abdul Salam Rahimi said, but did not say when the confirmation vote might come.

The four most prominent positions were evenly divided between nominees seen as close to the president or to Abdullah, who is the government's chief executive, a post with expanded powers.

Defence Ministry nominee Sher Mohammad Karimi, chief of staff of the Afghan National Army, is seen as close to Ghani, as is the nominee for finance minister, Ghulam Jilani Popal.

The powerful Interior Ministry post went to Nur ul-Haq Ulumi, who endorsed Abdullah during the campaign. Foreign Ministry nominee Salahuddin Rabbani is also associated with Abdullah. Read More at Ghani nominated ministers 

Factbox: A look at major nominees for Afghanistan's new cabinet