News
Friday, March 12, 2010
No proxy wars on Afghan soil, says Karzai* Afghan president says India a close friend, but Pakistan like a brother
* Gilani says Pakistan supports Afghan reintegration planBy Irfan Ghauri and Sajjad Malik
ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan will not allow the use of its soil by India for a proxy war with Pakistan or for any such war between any other countries, said Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday.
Addressing a joint press conference, Karzai and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said peace in their countries depended on the situation on either side of the border, and vowed to improve bilateral ties. Karzai called Pakistan and Afghanistan “conjoined twins” with “linked destinies”, and said his country would not allow its territory to be used against any of its neighbours, especially Pakistan.
He said Pakistan had offered providing training and the sale of arms and ammunitions to the Afghan Army. He said he had accepted the offer for the sale of arms and ammunition, while he would make a decision on training for the army after deliberations. He admitted that Pakistan was playing a vital role to facilitate his government’s efforts for reconciliation with the Taliban.
The two leaders earlier held a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks.
Replying to a question about the extradition of arrested Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Baradar, Gilani said his government would make a decision after consulting its legal experts. However, he said courts in Pakistan were fully functional. Addressing a luncheon reception in Karzai’s honour earlier, the prime minister said Pakistan supported Karzai’s reintegration plan for the Taliban.
Diplomatic sources told Daily Times that Afghanistan had formally asked Pakistan to hand over Baradar for a trial in Afghanistan. The request was made by Afghan security officials accompanying Karzai.
The Afghan president told a group of journalists over breakfast that his government was eager to get hold of all Taliban leaders, including Baradar, as they were Afghan nationals and should be tried there.
He said he was unaware of a “formal extradition request”, but would discuss the matter Pakistani leaders.
Karazai confirmed his government is in contact with senior Taliban, and said Afghanistan was ready to talk to all Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar. “We have contacts [with the Taliban] as high as you wish to go. We are ready to talk to them, including Mullah Omar,” he said. The AP news agency quoted him as saying that he was dedicated to pursuing the process despite lukewarm enthusiasm from the US.
Karzai said India was a very close friend, but Pakistan was like a brother. “We, in Afghanistan, are fully aware ... that without Pakistan ... Afghanistan cannot be stable or peaceful,” he was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.
On Thursday, Pakistan and Afghanistan also signed agreements on strengthening bilateral ties and improving interaction in diverse fields.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk