FOREIGN TERRORISTS MUST BE TAKEN TO JUSTICE: AFGHAN NEW PM SAYS
PARIS 5 Dec. (IPS) The man appointed to lead Afghanistan for the next six months has said that the country needs economic opportunities and democratic elections in order to move forward.
Mr. Hamid Karzai,
an ethnic Pashtoon, told the BBC that former Taleban figures could play a role in a future government if the Afghan people wanted them, but that "foreign terrorists" must be expelled and tried.The power-sharing council Mr Karzai is to lead will take office on 22 December.
"Foreign terrorists that have made Afghanistan their base have brought unbelievable suffering to our people and my country and must leave Afghanistan and be taken to justice", he said when asked about Osama Ben Laden, who is accused of masterminding the 11 September attacks on the United States.
In another interview carried by the UK's Channel 4 news, Karzai denied news that he was not injured in a ’friendly fire’ incident which killed three US American soldiers and five Afghans near Qandahar on Wednesday and injured 20 others.
Earlier in the day Mr. Karzai was reported to have been "slightly injured" in the incident, but speaking via satellite telephone, he said, jokingly: "Have you ever heard an injured man talking like this? Nothing has happened".
A US official had confirmed that the "friendly fire" accident happened when a US forward air controller called in air support during fighting between opposition and Taleban troops to the north of Qandahar, the Taleban’s leader last stronghold.
An errant "smart" bomb, dropped by a B-52 bomber, landed approximately 100 metres from the US personnel.
Victoria Clarke, Pentagon spokeswoman, said that Mr Karzai had been seen after the bombing and was believed to be safe. "We have heard that Karzai has been out, has been visible, does not appear to be seriously injured", she said.
Delegates from four Afghan factions agreed on Wednesday to set up a transitional government headed by Mr Karzai after 20 years of war.
"The eyes of the world will be on you and you carry a huge responsibility
United Nations Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi welcomed the agreement, saying the international community would stand by Afghanistan.
"The UN and the entire international community feel a tremendous sense of hope in the knowledge that agreement has been signed here in Bonn," he said.
But he warned that the new government carried a "huge responsibility" and the eyes of the world would be upon it.
"You must live up to your commitment to promote national reconciliation, protect human rights, encourage relations with your neighbours. You must serve your people in a democratic and transparent manner", he said.
Mr Karzai told the BBC that decisions about the type of government the country would have and the Afghan people must make whom it would include.
He also said that if local forces could not provide "security in this critical time of transition, then the presence of a UN force would be a good thing".
He was talking by satellite phone from north of the southern Afghan city of Qandahar, where his forces are battling the Taleban for control.
He said he believed Taleban leaders would "transfer power to local tribal chiefs and local clergy ... sooner rather than later".
The pro-Taleban, Pakistan-based Afghan Press Agency reported that Taleban representatives had held talks with Mr Karzai about the possible handover of Qandahar. Neither the Taleban nor Mr Karzai have confirmed the report. ENDS AFQANS BONN AGREEMENTS