‘If US wishes to, it can leave Afghanistan’
26 Jan 2014 10:28 PM GMT
Late last year, Karzai made a surprise decision not to promptly sign the bilateral security agreement (BSA) with the US, despite a ‘loya jirga’ national assembly voting for him to do so.
Washington has become increasingly frustrated by Karzai’s manoeuvreing over the deal, stressing that negotiations were completed in November and that it is ready to sign the mutually agreed text.
‘Afghanistan will absolutely not accept or sign anything under pressure,’ Karzai told reporters in Kabul on Saturday.
‘If they want to leave, then they go and we will continue our lives... Our main condition is the practical start of peace process.’
The US had earlier pushed for the BSA to be signed by the end of October so that the NATO military coalition could schedule the withdrawal of its troops by the end of this year.
But the deadline has slipped as Karzai refused to sign and even suggested that his successor could make the final decision after presidential elections due on 5 April.
The election may not produce a final winner until August after a second-round run-off and extended deal-making.
Washington has become increasingly frustrated by Karzai’s manoeuvreing over the deal, stressing that negotiations were completed in November and that it is ready to sign the mutually agreed text.
‘Afghanistan will absolutely not accept or sign anything under pressure,’ Karzai told reporters in Kabul on Saturday.
‘If they want to leave, then they go and we will continue our lives... Our main condition is the practical start of peace process.’
The US had earlier pushed for the BSA to be signed by the end of October so that the NATO military coalition could schedule the withdrawal of its troops by the end of this year.
But the deadline has slipped as Karzai refused to sign and even suggested that his successor could make the final decision after presidential elections due on 5 April.
The election may not produce a final winner until August after a second-round run-off and extended deal-making.
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