US Secretary of State John Kerry made a show of unity with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a short visit to Afghanistan yesterday, following weeks of tensions between the two countries.
I never used the word ‘collusion’ between the Taliban and the US
Kerry made the unannounced visit to Afghanistan in order to discuss a host of issues including attempts to stabilise the country before most foreign troops leave by the end of 2014, the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces and Afghanistan’s elections, a US official told reporters.
After a private meeting, the two held a news conference at the presidential palace in Kabul. During it Karzai confronted questions about his remarks earlier this month in which he accused the Taliban of undertaking attacks “in service of America”.
Numerous press reports stated he was suggesting the US and the Taliban were colluding, but he rejected that interpretation at the news conference. “I never used the word ‘collusion’ between the Taliban and the US,” he said.
“Those were not my words. Those were the (words) picked up by the media.”
Kerry also referred to the comments. “I am confident that the President absolutely does not believe that the United States has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace.”
Kerry, making his first visit to Afghanistan as secretary of state, also acknowledged America’s handover earlier in the day of control of Afghanistan’s largest detention facility, adjacent to the Bagram military base north of Kabul.
“As of today, we don’t have prisoners (in Afghanistan). Whatever is occurring here is under the control of the Afghan people,” Kerry said.
Asked for details on how the prisoner transfer agreement would work, Karzai said the US had agreed to share intelligence about what it viewed as highly dangerous prisoners and would be consulted before any eventual release.
Karzai said a review board would examine intelligence and decide whether detainees should be released, before a final exchange of views between the US military commander and his defence minister.
Karzai is due to travel to Qatar within days to discuss the peace process and the opening of a (Taliban) office for conducting negotiations.
The trip comes after years of stalled discussions with the United States, Pakistan and the Taliban.