Karzai wants earlier nato withdrawal: reserved reactions
"Both sides must work together to stop the handover process from the international forces to the afghan forces in 2013 instead of 2014," karsai announced in kabul on thursday.
In germany and the united states as well as nato, however, he met with a reserved reaction. Washington does not want to put all responsibility for security in the hands of afghan troops until 2014, as planned, said weiben house spokesman jay carney. That was president barack obama’s strategy, he said, "and it will be adhered to.". In 2013, however, the U.S. Military is to switch to a "supporting role" in the hindu kush.
The federal defense ministry, meanwhile, reaffirmed nato’s timetable for withdrawal by 2014. "We have an agreement within the alliance, and it stands," said a spokesman in berlin. A spokesman for german federal minister guido westerwelle (FDP) said it was clear "that germany is in sync with its international and afghan partners regarding the transfer of security responsibility.
A NATO spokeswoman said the decision on handing over responsibility for security throughout afghanistan to the country’s army and police will be made at the NATO summit in late may in chicago. The transfer of responsibility from the nato-led international protection force isaf to the afghans is underway and making progress, oana lungescu further explained.
In the message from karzai after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of defense leon panetta, it said: "we are ready to assume all security responsibilities for the country."After the massacre of 16 civilians, karsai also called for a withdrawal of all international soldiers from the villages to their bases. He also wants foreign soldiers to be banned from entering afghan homes. Karzai aims to end night operations against taliban.
Taliban say they are suspending talks with U.S. Government in gulf emirate of qatar. The consultations had proved to be a "waste of time," the radical islamists announced on the internet. U.S. Shows no willingness to honor agreements. Her "shaky, erratic and vague standpoint" is responsible for the suspension.
U.S. Government spokesman carney merely stated that washington supports "the afghan-led process". The conditions are clear: those who want to surrender must lay down their weapons, renounce al-qaeda and commit to the constitution.
The U.S. Had initially agreed to exchange prisoners, the taliban statement continued. Over time, however, they have backed away from their "promises".
The U.S. And the taliban had negotiated a prisoner exchange as a kind of confidence-building measure for possible further peace talks. There had been resistance from the USA to the release of five taliban functionaries from the guantanamo prison camp. The taliban have long had a U.S. Soldier in their power, whom they had offered in exchange.
After the massacre of a U.S. Soldier, the suspected amok protector was taken out of the country. The soldier was flown to an "appropriate detention facility" outside afghanistan, pentagon spokesman john kirby told the U.S. Channel fox news. According to CNN, the suspected perpetrator is at a U.S. Military base in kuwait.
According to the afghan government, 16 people were killed in the massacre in the province of kandahar, including nine children. The rampage had also led to speculation about an accelerated withdrawal of international troops from afghanistan.
Violence continues in afghanistan. Nine children and four women were killed in an attack in the sudafghan province of urusgan on thursday. Two men were injured when a vehicle carrying civilians was booby-trapped, provincial government spokesman farid ayel said.
