In a recent article, former Afghan minister Abdul Khaliq Fazal stressed the necessity of negotiations between the Afghan government and the militant groups, and between Afghanistan and its influential neighbors such as India, Pakistan, and Iran, in order to ensure security in the war-torn country.
Fazal, the Minister of Public Works from 2001 to 2002, who now lives in Australia, also urged the Afghan government to assure the Iranians that the presence of foreign troops on Afghan soil will not pose a threat to Iran. His article, titled "Can Karzai and Obama deliver peace?" was published by the Afghan news website Quqnoos.com.
Fazal also called for Afghanistan's neutrality in its relationship with Pakistan and India, observing: "Afghanistan has to make sure that neither India nor Pakistan will be given the right to use Afghanistan as their playground, and Afghanistan must keep its neutrality and avoid siding with either in conflicts."
Following are excerpts from the article:[1]
"President Hamid Karzai has to Come Up with a Strong, Professional, Skilled Team so that People Can Trust Him, His Team and Leadership"
"[In April-May 2010] I finished a month-long visit to Afghanistan, where I discovered that the security situation is getting worse every day. In Kabul, most of the ministries have barricaded their buildings with high concrete walls. Some of the main roads in the city were closed to general traffic. For example, the road where the Ministry of Interior is located has been blocked, and as a result business in the area is down.
"President Karzai has issued two or three decrees in the past two years to reopen all streets, but none of the orders have been implemented thus far. Everyone, including the law enforcement department at the Ministry of Interior, is doing things that go against the president's order...
"Back in 2004, Afghans believed that the donations made by the international community would produce positive results and secure jobs for them. Foreign investment would bring more money and goods to spur the development of the country. Now, those people are questioning the presence of foreign troops in their country.
"If the Afghan president wants to survive the next four years, he has to be more honest to his people and the international community. He has to come up with a clearer vision and a straightforward economic, political, cultural and development plan for the future of an independent Afghanistan. Karzai has to bring about many changes in himself, as he has to work sincerely and honestly for political reform and parliamentary democracy. President Hamid Karzai has to come up with a strong, professional, skilled team so that people can trust him, his team and leadership..."
"Pakistan Must Stop Thinking that an Expansion of the Afghan Military Force is an Obstacle against Its Interests in the Region"
"At a conference in the U.S., President Karzai announced his policies and said that his new government wants to pursue improvements in the economy, security, and governance of Afghanistan. President Karzai also unveiled details of his plan to encourage Taliban insurgents to lay down their arms and stop the violence, and join the political process aimed at rebuilding the war-torn nation.
"I am sure that these are very promising messages to the Afghan people, the international community, and the legitimate wishes of President Karzai... But could these discussions and plans alone convince elements of the Taliban to enter this political process? And can this be successful and achievable without examining the larger picture of the nation's problems?
"Past experience has shown that problems in Afghanistan cannot be solved by military means. It should be noted that the proposals made by President Karzai to the UN Security Council to review the Council's blacklist must be part of the negotiations with the Taliban. The names of those Taliban who are not attached to Al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups should be omitted from the list, in order to encourage the Taliban to come to the negotiation table.
"I believe that peace, security and stability can only come to Afghanistan if the international community and the Afghan government seriously and objectively look into the following issues:
"i) A comprehensive discussion should take place between Afghanistan and Pakistan, in which both should be assured that neither interferes in the other's internal affairs.
"ii) Afghanistan has to make sure that neither India nor Pakistan will be given the right to use Afghanistan as their playground; and Afghanistan must keep its neutrality and avoid siding with either in conflicts.
"iii) Pakistan must resolutely stop its logistical, financial, and all other kinds of support to the Taliban, as well as all other armed groups who are fighting against the Afghan and foreign forces in Afghanistan.
"iv) Pakistan must stop thinking that an expansion of the Afghan military force is an obstacle against its interests in the region. It should remember that when Afghanistan had a well-trained army in the past, it was never a threat against Pakistani interests.
"v) The Afghan government should have a comprehensive discussion with the government of Iran and assure it that the presence of the foreign forces in Afghanistan will not be a threat to the safety or stability of Iran. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has to be asked to assure the Afghan government that Iran is not supporting or arming Afghan or other militants who create violence in Afghanistan.
vi) "The Afghan government and the international community have to assure Russia and China that the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan will not be a threat to them or to their friends in the region."
"Problems in Afghanistan will not Be Solved by Power or Money; The Only Way Out of the Current Problem is Through Negotiations and Understanding"
"In Afghanistan, the following responsibilities must be fulfilled by Karzai's government and the international community before peace and security are possible:
"a) Creation of jobs for the unemployed, who desperately need an income for themselves or their families. Employment would eliminate the need for money paid by militant groups to employ civilians.
"b) Corruption is a big problem; thus Karzai's government must take the first step, followed by the international community, to eliminate corruption from all government departments, contractors and NGOs, and they must be strictly monitored.
"c) Transparency and accountability of all government departments, contractors, and NGOs must be given high priority.
"d) Good governance can be obtained when the central government earns the support of the Afghan public.
"It is time that everyone comes to the conclusion that the problems in Afghanistan will not be solved by power or money. The only way out of the current problem is through negotiations and understanding."
Endnote:
[1] www.quqnoos.com, Afghanistan, May 19, 2010. The text of the article has been lightly edited for clarity.
