Thursday, February 2, 2012
NATO Chief: Afghan Roadmap
Stands Despite US, French Announcements
Anders-Fogh Rasmussen
VOA News
February 2, 2012
NATO Secretary General Anders-Fogh Rasmussen says the
coalition's timeline for the security transition in Afghanistan
still stands, despite recent announcements from the United States
and France.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and French President
Nicolas Sarkozy have each suggested the coalition should end its
combat role in 2013, more than a year ahead of previous plans, and
switch to training and advising Afghan troops through 2014.
Rasmussen said ahead of Thursday's NATO defense ministers'
meeting in Brussels that the alliance will stand by its previously
agreed to plan to wind up operations in Afghanistan by the end of
2014.
But the NATO secretary-general noted that international troops
will hand over security control of the last Afghan provinces to
Afghan forces by the middle of next year. He said starting in
mid-2013, Afghan security forces will “take the lead” and
coalition troops will gradually change from “combat to support.”
He said “in that, there is nothing new.”
Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters
traveling to Brussels with him that “hopefully by the
mid-to-latter part of 2013 we will be able to make a transition
from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role.”
French President Sarkozy announced earlier this month that his
country will withdraw its combat forces from Afghanistan in 2013,
a year earlier than planned.
The U.S. defense chief called 2013 a crucial year for the final
transfer of remaining areas to Afghan security forces. He said no
decisions have been made about the level of U.S. forces remaining
in Afghanistan once that combat role has ended.
Thursday's NATO meeting in Brussels is being held just days
after a leaked coalition report revealed that members of the
Taliban insurgency are confident they can regain power in
Afghanistan once coalition troops have departed.
The meeting is meant to lay the groundwork for a larger NATO
gathering set for Chicago in May.
US: Taliban will
retake Afghanistan
BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The Taliban is set to retake
control over Afghanistan after NATO-led forces withdraw from the
country. That’s according to a leaked US report, which also
accuses Pakistan of assisting the Taliban in attacking NATO
forces.
The Times of London newspaper said the document’s findings were
based on interrogations of more than 4-thousand Taliban and al
Qaeda detainees. Pakistan denies the charge, describing the report
as "frivolous" and going against the country’s policy of
"non-interference".
The leaked report comes as the US and Afghan governments are
trying to enter peace talks with the Taliban. Despite the presence
of about 100-thousand foreign troops, the UN says violence in
Afghanistan is at its worst since the Taliban was ousted in 2001.
Large parts of Afghanistan have recently been handed back to
the Afghan security forces, with the last foreign troops due to
leave by the end of 2014.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
Pakistan Says
Willing to Push
Afghan Insurgents Towards Peace
VOA News
February 2, 2012
Pakistan says it is willing to push Afghan insurgents to make
peace, if asked to do so by the Afghan government.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told reporters in
Islamabad Thursday that “we are willing to do whatever the Afghans
want or expect.”
Khar made the comments a day after visiting Afghanistan, where
she met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and pledged Pakistan's
support for the Afghan peace process.
Pakistan is seen as a key player in that process because of its
historical ties to the Taliban. Many of the Afghan insurgent
group's leaders are believed to be based in Pakistan.
Following talks with President Karzai Wednesday, Foreign
Minister Khar said Pakistan has no “hidden agenda” in Afghanistan.
She also said that Pakistan stands strongly behind political
efforts to end the war in neighboring Afghanistan, but that the
process should be led and driven by the Afghans.
Khar's visit to Kabul was aimed at mending strained relations
between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghan officials have accused
militants from Pakistan of fomenting violence in Afghanistan with
the goal of disrupting the peace process.
Afghan officials have said last year's suicide attack that
killed the country's key peacemaker, former Afghan President
Burhanuddin Rabbani, was planned in Pakistan and carried out by a
Pakistani citizen. Pakistan has denied any involvement in Mr.
Rabbani's killing.
On Wednesday, Pakistan dismissed a leaked NATO report that
accused its military intelligence agency, the ISI, of supporting
the Afghan Taliban. The classified report was compiled from the
interrogations of 4,000 captured Taliban and al-Qaida operatives.
Pakistanis to
besiege
parliament over NATO routes
Press TV
February 2, 2012
Pakistan's largest Islamic party has announced plans to besiege
the country's parliament in protest at Islamabad's efforts to
reopen NATO supply routes into Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
“We have called our thousands of activists to assemble in
Islamabad on February 3 (Friday) to besiege Parliament house as
government is likely to reopen NATO's supply routes”, Manwar
Hassan, the Jamaat-e-Islami chief told Press TV's correspondent on
Wednesday.
Hassan said the US is pressing Pakistan to reopen all the
closed routes that the Western military alliance used to transport
supplies to foreign forces in Afghanistan.
“The NATO supplies could be restored only on our dead bodies”,
he added.
The party's chief went on to say that all Islamic parties will
join their protests.
On Sunday, thousands rallied in Pakistan to condemn US
assassination drone strikes in the country, urging Islamabad to
keep NATO supply routes shut.
Protestors warned that they would stage a sit-in and would also
launch a campaign against the government if it tried to restore
the transport routes.
“We will block the NATO supplies through masses by staging
demonstrations and sit in from Karachi to Peshawar,” Molana
Samiul-Haq, the chairman of Pakistan defense council, which
organized the rally, told the participants.
He also warned the government over Pakistan's alliance with the
United States, demanding Islamabad to adopt an independent foreign
policy.
Pakistan has closed its border crossings to the NATO supply
convoys destined for the US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan
since November 26 last year after NATO airstrikes killed 24
Pakistani soldiers on the day.
Thousands of NATO trucks have been crowding the port in
Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, two months after Islamabad
imposed the blockade.
Following the airstrikes, the Pakistani government also told
the US to vacate a Pakistani airbase used by the CIA to launch
drones strikes.
Taliban local leader
captured in Afghanistan: ISAF
KABUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban local leader was captured
Thursday in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces said.
"An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban
leader during an operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand
province, today," the ISAF said in a press release issued here.
Without disclosing the name of the captured leader, ISAF said
that "The leader directed roadside bomb attacks against Afghan
forces throughout the district. One additional suspected insurgent
was detained during the operation."
Afghan forces and ISAF troops have intensified cleanup
operations throughout the post-Taliban country recently.
The Taliban insurgents, who launched in May 2011 a rebel
offensive against Afghan and NATO forces, have yet to confirm the
capture of the leader.
Today's Afghan
Headlines
UNAMA
2 February 2012 - AIHRC rejects findings of a UN-backed survey
on police’s awareness on law; NATO classified report reveals
Taliban comeback to power with support of Pakistan post-2014;
Pakistan doesn’t have any hidden agenda in Afghanistan – Hina
Rabbani; The US mulls to transfer a number of Taliban prisoners to
a third country - Daivd Petreaus; Wolesi Jirga summons Finance
Minister; Finance Minister should be sacked – MPs; Taliban
prisoners to stay under observation – CIA; US determined to
encourage Afghan dialogue – Grossman; Pakistan’s States and
Frontier Regions Minister meets UN High Commissioner for Afghan
Refugees.
AFGHAN TV NEWS
Tolo TV Headlines
After the withdrawal of the international forces, the Taliban
may take over power in Afghanistan with tacit support of Pakistan,
said a leaked classified report of NATO. The report said that
Pakistan’s military was directly supporting the Taliban and that
it [Pakistan’s military] knew about the whereabouts of the
militant groups in Pakistan’s soil. The report has been prepared
on the basis of assertions of some 4,000 Taliban detainees.
Describing Pakistan’s role in regional stability as divisive, the
US Embassy in Kabul avoided making any comment on the report. But
NATO described the report as an observation of the detained
Taliban. The report also warned of Afghan citizens and Government
officials joining the Taliban ranks.
The visiting Pakistani Foreign Affairs Minister, Hina Rabbani
Khar, told reporters in Kabul on Wednesday that Pakistan did not
have any hidden agenda for Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan would
like to see a stabilized Afghanistan. Khar further said that
Pakistan was doing its best to bring stability in Afghanistan.
Khar pledged Pakistan’s support to Afghan-led peace talks and that
Pakistan was ready to provide any support for such process if
needed.
Meanwhile, Afghan Foreign Affairs Minister Zalmai Rassoul said
that the Af-Pak relations could improve if the two countries were
honest and sincere to each other. Rassoul called for improved
relations with Pakistan so that the two countries could overcome
not only security challenges, but also economic and regional
setbacks.
In his meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister, President Karzai
termed Pakistan’s role in restoration of peace in Afghanistan as
important, said a statement issued by the President’s Office.
US was mulling to transfer a number of Taliban prisoners to a
third country, said the chief of the US intelligence agency (ISI),
David Petreaus. Meanwhile, the intelligence committee of the US
Senate expressed concerns that these detainees may join the
Taliban ranks once they were released.
A meeting held in Khaybarkhwah state of Pakistan discussed
US-Taliban peace talks and Pakistan’s role in ensuring peace and
stability in Afghanistan. A number of participants of the meeting
said that Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries did not need to
interfere in Afghanistan and get in the way of the US-Taliban
peace talks.
The Lower House will impeach Minister of Finance and a number
of other ministers who have not spent their development budget
properly.
The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)
dismissed findings of a UN-backed survey, which said over 80 per
cent of Afghans believe that police awareness on laws had
increased. Meanwhile, a number of Kabul citizens complained of
mistreatment by the police.
UK Ambassador in Afghanistan warned drug traffickers of arrest
and punishment. He added that UK remained committed in its pledges
to Afghanistan to jointly fight drug trade.
Ariana TV Headlines
Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, directly supports the
Taliban in Afghanistan, a secret NATO report revealed. The report
indicates that Pakistani government officials are aware of
location of the Taliban leaders. However, Foreign Minister, Hina
Rabbani Khar, rejected the allegations as baseless. There has been
dramatic increase in willingness among the people, including even
the government employees, to join the Taliban ranks, the report
said. Meanwhile, the NATO spokesperson, Brigadier General Carsten
Jacobsen, said that the report indicates that the Taliban were
supported by Pakistan. The report is based on confesses made by
the Taliban prisoners, Jacobsen said.
Pakistani Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, Wednesday
arrived in Kabul. Hina Rabbani met with President Karzai in the
Presidential Palace and pledged her country’s support and
cooperation to peace talks. In a joint press conference with her
Afghan counterpart, Ms Rabbani said she brought peace message to
Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul urged Pakistan’s
sincere support for peace process.
The Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday summoned Finance
Minister, Hazrat Omer Zakhilwal. MPs accused the Finance Minister
of brining changes in fiscal budget of Afghan year 1389
[2010-2011] without the approval of the Wolesi Jirga, a claim that
was rejected by the Finance Minister. The House said Zakhilwal’s
clarifications were not enough and decided to discuss his
impeachment.
British ambassador to Kabul, William Patey, said his country
will continue supporting agriculture sector to prevent poppy
cultivations.
AFGHAN MEDIA
Outlook Afghanistan
The US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc
Grossman, says the United States is using "all of its contacts in
the region" in order to get Afghans talking to Afghans.
Over 40 tones of drugs were seized and seven suspected
militants were detained during a series of joint operations in
Kandahar, Ghazni and Zabul provinces and a large cache of weapons
were also confiscated in Panjwai district of Kandahar, Defence
Ministry said.
United Nations High Commissioner for Afghan Refugees (UNHCR)
Antonio Guterres called on Federal Minister for States and
Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Shaukatullah Khan Wednesday. They
discussed all the issues regarding repatriation of the Afghan
refugees. The federal minister said that repatriation of the
Afghan refugees was the most important issue in Pakistan and they
knew that all Afghans could not return to their homeland due to
the non-conducive environment in Afghanistan. The government of
Pakistan has approved a repatriation strategy that envisages
temporary management of the Afghans in Pakistan through a flexible
visa regime, work permits, student visas and such other
arrangements, he maintained.
Pakistan Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, on Wednesday said
her visit to Kabul was aimed at enhancing bilateral goodwill and
all-round cooperation. At a meeting after her arrival in Kabul,
she discussed with President Karzai the ongoing peace process and
threat posed to the neighboring countries by terrorism.
Fundamentalism was a sinister conspiracy that had damaged peace in
the region, President Karzai said, calling for a joint struggle
for peace and stability.
Afghanistan Times
A number of parliamentarians in Wednesday session of the Lower
House called for sacking the Finance Minister, Hazrat Omer
Zakhilwal, after failing to satisfy MPs regarding the report of
development budget of the government in 2011.
The US intelligence chief David Petreaus, said even if Taliban
prisoners were released from the Guantanamo Bay prison, they will
remain under surveillance, an international news agency reported
on Wednesday.
An Afghan activist (Mohammad Daud Merakai) revealed that the US
is still using horrific depleted uranium ammunitions in
Afghanistan, creating graveyards of people who die of cancer and
other unusual diseases, Press TV reports.
State Media Editorials
State-run print media and most private newspapers are not
published on Thursdays as it is a public holiday only in Kabul.
Private Media Editorials
Outlook Afghanistan
Taliban cannot return with the aim to retake the country. They
must break links with Al-Qaeda and other fundamentalists in the
region in order to be reintegrated into the fold. The neighbouring
countries and international community must avoid trying any
solution that would be met with the resistance by Afghan people.
Afghanistan Times
After having meeting with the President Karzai, though Pakistan
Foreign Minister informed the media men that Pakistan has no
hidden agenda in Afghanistan but reality cannot be concealed by
telling lies and clinging to denialism. Another coincident is the
statement of the Taliban as they also chose the same day to deny
that they would hold talks with the Afghan Government in Saudi
Arabia. In such crucial times when Afghans need peace more than
ever the statement of Hina Rabbani Khar that they consider any
threat to Afghanistan’s independence and sovereignty is a threat
to Pakistan’s existence is tantamount to rubbing salts to the
wounds of Afghans, they have received during the decades-long war
and mayhem. Had this come in reality the game in Afghanistan would
have come to its end. There will be no peace in the region until
there is regional cooperation but unfortunately we don’t see any
vistas of cooperation on ground; that’s why we are bound to bear
the brunt of regional hostilities and pay more sacrifices.
