RTTNews, Sep 30. 2008
 |
| Afghan President Hamid Karzai made a fresh appeal to Taliban supremo Mullah Mohammed Omar to join peace negotiations, guaranteeing immunity from foreign forces. His call, as a part of repeated efforts to find a breakthrough in his fight against terrorism in the country came on the first day of Eid ul-Fitr, the religious holiday that comes at the end of the Muslim month of fasting, or Ramadan. Karzai, who often insisted that negotiating with the militants would not include Mullah Omar, changed his stance during a press conference held in his presidential palace Tuesday. He even went to the extent of inviting the Taliban leader, who is one of the most wanted persons on Washington’s terrorist list, to join his ministry. “Come to your own homeland, and construct your country,” Karzai said. “Don’t be afraid of foreigners; we will stand in front of them so that they don’t hurt you,” he added, referring to around 70,000 international troops deployed in Afghanistan. He refuted media reports that he had held secret negotiations with Taliban militants in Saudi Arabia. Instead, he said, he made many attempts over the last two years to engage Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in peace talks with the militant outfit, but in vain. Meanwhile, Mullah Omar demanded forces of NATO and US to withdraw from Afghanistan or face defeat. “If you withdraw from our country, we will facilitate the ways for your withdrawal, failing which, like the Russians, you will face defeat in all corners of the world,” he said in a statement. by RTT Staff Writer |
:: Article nr. 47647 sent on 01-oct-2008 09:56 ECT
www.uruknet.info?p=47647
Link: www.rttnews.com/Content/PoliticalNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=726661
Tags: foreign forces in Afghanistan, Mulla Omar, peace negotiations, President Hamid Karzai, Taliban
No comments:
Post a Comment