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Karzai Spokesman Calls NATO War 'Unwise, Aimless'

March 19, 2013

A spokesman for the Afghan presidency has described the NATO-led military mission in the country as 'aimless and unwise.'

'The people of Afghanistan ask NATO to define the purpose and aim of the so-called war on terror, as they question why after a decade, this war in their country has failed to achieve its stated goals,' Aimal Faizi said in a statement on March 19.

Faizi's remarks followed claims by Afghan President Hamid Karzai that the United States is colluding with the Taliban to keep Afghanistan unstable and give foreign forces an excuse to stay beyond 2014.

On March 18, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen rejected those accusations as 'an absolutely ridiculous idea.'

The United States has also denied Karzai's accusation.

Meanwhile, the United States has warned Afghanistan that ensuring an 'inclusive and credible' presidential election next year would be 'critical' to maintaining international support after 2014.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, told a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on March 19: 'The results of this election must produce an outcome that is legitimately accepted by the Afghan people.'

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said "broad participation and a credible process are essential to reaching the goal of a widely accepted leadership transition.'

The country's presidential election is scheduled for April 2014. Karzai has said he will step down after two terms.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan-nato-aimless-unwise/24933217.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.