C M Y K A10
DAILY 03-11-10 MD SU A10 CMYK
A10 The World
S KLMNO THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010
British official urges Afghan
Ahmadinejad visits Afghanistan
leaders to negotiate with Taliban
ciliation “depends on the condi- leaders were excluded from
by Karen DeYoung tions on the ground in terms of Bonn,” Miliband said. “But other,
when people, particularly the more significant and legitimate
British Foreign Secretary Da- more senior commanders, realize groups were seriously underrep-
vid Miliband called Wednesday that the odds against their suc- resented, most notably the vari-
for early and substantive political cess are no longer in their favor.” ous Pashtun confederations from
negotiations between the Af- But Miliband suggested that which the Taliban draws its
ghanistan government and the talks could proceed even as fight- strength.”
Taliban and other insurgent ing escalated and indicated that Although Pashtuns make up
groups, saying that military suc- he agreed with Afghan President about 40 percent of the popula-
cesses will never be enough to Hamid Karzai that although “pre- tion, and Karzai is a Pashtun, Af-
end the war. conditions should set the terms of ghanistan’s smaller ethnic groups
“The idea of political engage- any eventual agreement, they play disproportionate roles in the
ment with those who would di- should not prevent a dialogue government and the military.
rectly or indirectly attack our from developing.” Miliband said he supports U.S.-
troops is difficult,” Miliband said. In the face of overwhelming backed efforts to reintegrate low-
“But dialogue is not appease- domestic opposition to the pres- level insurgent fighters into Af-
ment, and political space is not ence of nearly 10,000 British ghan society. But without a com-
the same as veto power or dom- troops in Afghanistan — a tenth prehensive political settlement
ination.” of the projected size of the U.S. and Afghan government reforms,
“Now is the time for the Af- force by this summer — the Brit- he said, “it will be hard to con-
ghans to pursue a political settle- ish government has taken the vince significant numbers of
SORKHABI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
ment with as much vigor and en- lead in promoting a negotiated combatants that their interests Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, meets with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Kabul.
ergy as we are pursuing the mili- political settlement. Karzai has will be better served by working During his one-day visit Wednesday, Ahmadinejad said the United States is playing a “double game” in
tary and civilian effort,” he said. scheduled a peace “jirga,” or con- with the government than by Afghanistan, fighting terrorists it once supported. Iran has called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Miliband’s remarks, made in a ference, for all national groups, fighting against it.”
speech at the Massachusetts In- including the Taliban, at the end Taliban leaders have publicly
stitute of Technology, went far be- of April. rejected a dialogue until foreign “the lead on regional engage- iban groups, wants a seat a the ta- Pakistan.
yond statements by U.S. officials, Miliband said the jirga offers a troops depart Afghanistan. But ment,” including recognition of ble for reconciliation negotia- Before leaving for Pakistan,
who have said talks would be bet- chance to reconfigure political Miliband said he thought that Pakistan’s key role and the in- tions. Pakistani President Asif Ali Karzai hosted Iranian President
ter held after the military balance representation in the Afghan gov- they would be more amenable to volvement of India, Iran, China Zardari said Wednesday that “the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on a
shifts toward the international ernment, initially apportioned at negotiations backed by the Unit- and Russia. two countries need to speak the one-day visit to Kabul. Iran has
coalition and the insurgents have a conference organized by the ed Nations and by other regional Miliband’s call came as Karzai same language at international blamed the Western military
agreed to sever ties with al-Qaeda West in Bonn, Germany, after the governments, whose concerns began his first official visit to Pa- forums because both suffer from presence in Afghanistan for the
and lay down their arms. United States and Afghan allies and differing interests in Afghan- kistan since his reelection last the same malaise, caused by the escalation of the war and called
Defense Secretary Robert M. overthrew the Taliban govern- istan should be honestly ac- year. Pakistan, whose rugged same mind-set of militancy and for the withdrawal of foreign
Gates said in Kabul on Monday ment in late 2001. knowledged. western mountains provide ha- extremism,” according to the troops.
that the timing of political recon- “It was right that the Taliban Afghanistan, he said, must take vens for al-Qaeda and various Tal- state-owned Associated Press of
deyoungk@washpost.com
U.S. focus on Darfur may hinge on peace accord, envoy says
we really need to get the frame- are the upcoming elections, Su- most decisive periods since Last year, the International between Chad and Sudan, which
by Sudarsan Raghavan work solidified.” dan’s first multiparty vote in achieving independence in 1956. Criminal Court in The Hague in- have accused each other of back-
Gration’s comments came as nearly a quarter-century. After- The conflict in Darfur has dicted Sudanese President Omar ing rebel groups. “This is one of
nairobi — The U.S. special en- the Sudanese government and ward, Gration said, the focus will claimed an estimated 300,000 al-Bashir on charges of commit- the first very serious agreements
voy to Sudan said Wednesday one of Darfur’s main rebel be on reaching agreements and lives, and more than 2.7 million ting crimes against humanity in we’ve had,” he said.
that efforts to bring peace to the groups, the Justice and Equality enacting other measures ahead of people have been driven from Darfur, making him the first sit- Still, major differences remain.
country’s troubled Darfur region Movement, resumed talks a referendum in January in their homes, according to the ting head of a nation to face such The Justice and Equality Move-
could become less of a priority for Wednesday in the Qatari capital, which south Sudan will vote on United Nations. The conflict be- charges. ment wants next month’s elec-
the Obama administration if a Doha, in a bid to conclude a for- whether to secede. gan in 2003, when rebels rose On Wednesday, Gration said tions postponed so the group can
full-fledged peace agreement is mal peace accord by a deadline “There is not going to be a lot against the government, accusing Bashir should respond to the participate, a move the govern-
not reached before Sudanese set for Monday. of bandwidth to be doing Darfur it of politically and economically charges, but he stopped short of ment is unlikely to support.
elections scheduled for mid- But since the two sides signed a and negotiations,” he said. marginalizing the sprawling calling the violence genocide. Gration said that even if a full-
April. preliminary treaty last month, The possibility that Darfur — a western region. Gration, who heads to Doha fledged accord is struck it will
“There are going to be a lot of violence has flared in Darfur, and top U.S. priority since the Bush The government retaliated by this week partly to help bring only partially solve Darfur’s prob-
things that are keeping us from disagreements have emerged. administration declared in 2004 unleashing its army and proxy other Darfur rebel groups to the lems. “If there’s going to be a
focusing on Darfur,” retired Air None of Darfur’s other main rebel that a genocide was unfolding Arab militias, the Janjaweed, table, said the current treaty has comprehensive and lasting
Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration groups are engaged in talks with there — could be placed on the which targeted Darfur’s mostly a better chance of success than peace, all of the rebel groups real-
told reporters here. “That’s why the government. back burner reflects Sudan’s ten- black African population, razing previous failed deals. A key rea- ly need to be involved,” he said.
we have this little window where Further complicating matters uous state as it enters one of its villages and raping women. son, he said, is a rapprochement
raghavans@washpost.com
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