Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. PHOTO: REUTERS
With the start of 2014, the countdown to the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan has started while President Hamid Karzai, with a few more months in power, is yet to receive US support for peace talks with the Taliban.
As the situation becomes tense with the impending withdrawal, Karzai has attached the condition of peace talks with signing the controversial Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). The agreement will allow US to maintain its presence in the country post-Isaf ‘withdrawal’. The US, however, wants the agreement signed without any conditions and the same was conveyed to Karzai by a group of influential US senators this week.
Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Afghan president on Friday, stressed signing the agreement without mentioning any conditions.
“We hope President Karzai signs the agreement as soon as possible as we believe the best way to get the peace process moving is by signing the BSA which will act as a signal to the Taliban that the US-Afghan relationship is here to stay,” said McCain.
Downplaying the importance given by Karzai to Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar’s recent release by Pakistani authorities to aid the peace process, McCain said: “As for the release or non-release of this individual [Baradar], it is an issue between Afghanistan and Pakistan so it is hard for me to comment on it.”
Remarks by the senator reflect US urgency in signing the security agreement regardless of peace talks with the Taliban. Karzai had won rare praise by some of his bitter foes - the Taliban and notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar - for his stance on the BSA and is now in a fix as pressure to sign the deal mounts.
A majority of recent public polls reveal Afghans to be welcoming of peace talks with the Taliban - a major expectation with regards to the upcoming presidential polls.
In need of urgent progress over talks with the Taliban, Karzai sent negotiators to Saudi Arabia this week to seek help from the Saudi leadership and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Members of the Afghan High Peace Council, tasked with negotiating with the Taliban, were scheduled to meet senior Saudi officials and the OIC secretary-general to request them to use their influence in the reconciliation process, Maulvi Shehzada Shahid, spokesperson for the council, told The Express Tribune from Kabul.
The council members visited Saudi Arabia at a time when concerns are fast growing that Afghanistan could slip into chaos once more if the Taliban, US and Afghanistan fail to reach a peace deal. Shahid said the delegation also plans to travel to Pakistan in the near future as part its efforts to speed up the reconciliation process.
“We particularly seek the role of Islamic countries and religious scholars in the peace process,” he said, adding they will discuss a proposal with the OIC chief to hold an international conference of religious scholars to discuss an enhanced role of Islamic countries in Afghanistan.
Saudi Arabia is an old player in the region, especially with regards to Afghanistan and the Taliban. Hence, the upcoming visit of the Saudi foreign minister to Islamabad is being considered important for the Afghan peace process.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2014.
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The BSA has already been signed. Hamid Karzai is merely getting the Saudis and OIC to commit to long term investment in Afghanistan and to support the system in place.
The Saudis and OIC are more worried about Iranian influence in Afghanistan and Hamid Karzai will exploit these fears to his advantage.
Hamid Karzai and the members of his administration are astute statesmen and they negotiate the best terms for Afghans and Afghanistan.
@Security-1: Before preaching to Afghanstan, please ask your government to remove Indian Consulate.
The last thing Afghanistan needs help from is Saudi Arabia... Looking at the damage the Saudis have wrecked in Pakistan, the Afghans would be better off fending themselves, rather than leaning on this regressive state.
Mr Hamid Karzai is a Pashtun who usualy lead and cannot be lead by Grahm and Maccain duo. He will never sign on the agreement which will denegrade Afghan citizens.ren Have we not witnessed the professional performance of the yankee marines who operate in night darkness and pounce on old, women and children. No thanks!
Rex Minot
After the Second World War no Islamic country can be called a nation, there are too many factions, too many tribes, sects, regional, ethnic divides, languages, therefore no Islamic country has yet gelled. Look at Pakistan's short history, in 1971 Bangladesh came into existence. Pakistan does not yet know what does it takes to become a nation. So is the case with Afghanistan, there are so many different ethnic tribes, cultures, regional issues. The question really is whether the concept of a nation is what people in Islamic countries even want, there are serious doubts, that is the reason why Islamic countries remain countries, they have not become nations, there is a fundamental difference in how Indians think about their country and how Pakistani's think about their country. In India, their country comes first, In Pakistan, their country comes last, first may be their religion or Sect, then their particular tribe, then their region, then their language etc. Pakistan does not even figure in their allegiance. The same follows in other Islamic countries. Therefore for the Americans to tell Karzai to look for help from other Islamic countries, is a non-starter.
@Security-1: Why should India remove its consulates? Pakistan can if Afghan government allows.
Muslim help? Take a look at the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and that should tell you everything about Muslim help.
Islamic countries are too busy fighting within and other Islamic countries to be bothered with Afghanistan, which has been at it (fighting within for many centuries). As if the American's are not aware. Whatever happened to Organization of Islamic Countries ???.
Why help from Islmic countries why not from India.India is more infuential in Afghanistan more than any muslim country.Or. remove Indian counslate from your territory then muslim countries would come to help you.
Self help is the best help. If those calling themselves Muslims were really Muslims they would have been leaders in self help and example for other nations.
How do we know Karzai hasn't signed the BSA already and this is all bluster for internal consumption?
Karzai who is trying to swim against the tide is in no position to dictate terms to the US. His main aim is to continue his hold on Afghanistan by promoting his own brother for the top post. He should have understood by now that Taliban are neither push-overs nor do they listen to anyone including Muslim countries, clerics etc. The chances of a negotiating settlement appear to be remote as Taliban would go for an all out offensive once foreign forces leave Afghanistan.
Islamic countries are already divided internally.Afghanistan should help herself.Global politics and enviornment has been changed.No state will come to help............the rule of international is "self help,security ,and survivial".