21.   Iranian President Mohammad Khatami will visit Afghanistan next week before the Loya Jirga traditional assembly begins, said foreign affairs spokesman Omar Samad.

22.   A two-year transitional government, to lead the country until democratic elections, will be picked by a traditional grand assembly in Kabul next week.

23.   Afghanistan is to hold a Loya Jirga, or traditional Afghan grand assembly, to select a new government to take over from the current interim administration in June.

24.   But other commentators are convinced that the Bonn accord, which laid down the rules of the Loya Jirga, wanted the traditional assembly to pick the new cabinet.

25.   But the traditional Afghan grand assembly has been preceded by a sustained bout of horse-trading that could mean the main issues are wrapped up in the first few days.

26.   China Saturday congratulated Afghanistan on the election of Hamid Karzai as its next president and the smooth running of its traditional assembly to choose a new government.

27.   Dostam said his political future would depend on a Loya Jirga, or traditional assembly of tribal elders.

28.   One of the delegates who will participate in the Afghan traditional assembly meeting Monday in Kabul is Nanguyalay Tarzi, head of the United Nations Information Center in Tehran.

29.   The following are brief profiles on the figures who are expected to be major players at the traditional tribal assembly.

30.   The Loya Jirga traditional grand assembly that will in June choose a transitional government to rule the country for the next two years.