Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Karzai Calls U.S. Obstacle to Peace in Afghanistan --- Afghan President's Relationship With Western Allies Close to Breaking Point --- Mr. Karzai's provocative remarks, in a Pashto and Dari-language interview with the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty recorded Tuesday, capped a turbulent week in which his relationship with the Obama administration and other Western allies has come perilously close to a breaking point. -- The U.S. says that the security agreement, necessary to maintain a limited American and allied military presence in Afghanistan after the coalition's mandate expires at the end of next year, must be completed over the next month. -- "If peace is not restored, the [Bilateral Security Agreement] will be an evil for Afghanistan," he said. "Signing the agreement by the end of the year is the Americans' demand, not the demand of the people of Afghanistan. Without peace, this pact will bring evil and no good to our soil." -- "I know who the obstacles for peace in Afghanistan are, they are America and Pakistan," Mr. Karzai added in the interview. "If America wants the security pact, they must cooperate for peace." -- Mr. Karzai also accused the U.S. of interfering in the 2009 election, saying that the bloody attacks that kept the voter turnout low in many ethnic Pashtun provinces weren't carried out by the Taliban. - More, wall street journal

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home