Obama, Karzai Seek Common Ground on Major Issues
VOA News | Washington 12 May 2010
U.S. President Barack Obama is meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, in Washington to improve strained relations between the two governments.
President Karzai arrived at the White House Wednesday for talks, to be followed by a joint news conference and lunch with Mr. Obama.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss Afghan plans for a national peace assembly later this month. The "Jirga" is aimed at reintegrating lower-level Taliban soldiers and officers into national security forces.
There are two key issues likely to be addressed: dealing with widespread corruption in President Karzai's government and the question of whether to pursue a strategy of reconciliation or reintegration with the Taliban.
The United States wants reintegration of the Taliban as a means towards peace. This means luring foot-level soldiers back into daily life and into the mainstream of Afghan society. The United States contends most of these people are fighting for money, not ideology. As a result, the United States believes they could be easily wooed away.
Reconciliation, which President Karzai wants, seeks to bring the Taliban at all levels into the political process. The Obama administration balks at reconciliation.
These talks will raise "red lines", a term politicians and diplomats use to describe the limits of their willingness to negotiate. What is going to be the cut-off point at which you reconcile with the Taliban, at what level do you allow them to come back? And what level, do you say "No, they are too high level, they are too much in the insurgency, the U.S. cannot have them integrated into the government."
Mr. Karzai, who is in Washington on a four-day visit, met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.
The two reaffirmed the durability of the U.S.-Afghan partnership, while delicately skirting the issue of recent discord between the two countries.
As the meeting between Secretary Clinton and the Afghan leader was under way, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hosted his Afghan counterpart, Abdul Rahim Wardak, and other members of the Afghan delegation.
The officials discussed ongoing efforts to expand and improve the Afghan security forces and the need to further develop security ties with Pakistan.
Also Tuesday, President Karzai visited Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where American soldiers who have been wounded in Afghan combat are being treated. He expressed gratitude for the sacrifices of U.S. troops.
Gary Thomas contributed to this report.
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