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| Hamid Karzai confronts Pakistan leadership | Hamid Karzai confronts Pakistan leadership |
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| Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, confronted the Pakistani leadership on Thursday during a visit to Islamabad, as his frustration with the country he accuses of harbouring the Taliban boiled over. | Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, confronted the Pakistani leadership on Thursday during a visit to Islamabad, as his frustration with the country he accuses of harbouring the Taliban boiled over. |
| Karzai's language and tone flared to such an extent that the Pakistani prime minister intervened and called a halt to a meeting of the full delegations of the two countries, according to officials on both sides. After a break, a smaller meeting of just the top officials was held, on the first day of Karzai's two-day visit to Islamabad. | |
| The Afghan president has long demanded that Pakistan bring the leadership of the Taliban to the negotiating table, including its chief Mullah Mohammad Omar. | The Afghan president has long demanded that Pakistan bring the leadership of the Taliban to the negotiating table, including its chief Mullah Mohammad Omar. |
| The Afghan side's main meeting on was with the combined Pakistani civilian and military leadership, which went on for around 3 hours, with the Pakistani prime minister, the foreign minister, army chief and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency all present. | The Afghan side's main meeting on was with the combined Pakistani civilian and military leadership, which went on for around 3 hours, with the Pakistani prime minister, the foreign minister, army chief and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency all present. |
| At one point, apparently directing his remarks to Pakistan's foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, Karzai asked: "Would you be willing to stop girls studying in schools and university in Pakistan?" | At one point, apparently directing his remarks to Pakistan's foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, Karzai asked: "Would you be willing to stop girls studying in schools and university in Pakistan?" |
| The Taliban, when it ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, stopped girls' education and banned women from working. | The Taliban, when it ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, stopped girls' education and banned women from working. |
| According to one insider, in the meeting Karzai also bluntly demanded that Pakistan produce the Taliban to negotiate with him during his visit to the country. The source said that the Pakistani side was shocked by the Afghan leader's aggressive stance. | According to one insider, in the meeting Karzai also bluntly demanded that Pakistan produce the Taliban to negotiate with him during his visit to the country. The source said that the Pakistani side was shocked by the Afghan leader's aggressive stance. |
| The nascent peace process, which offers the only hope for an end to the decade-long Afghan conflict, depends crucially on Afghanistan and Pakistan being able to co-operate. Islamabad denies that the Taliban leadership and Mullah Omar is on its soil, but Kabul and the West believes that they have sanctuary in Pakistan, giving Islamabad decisive leverage over any negotiations. | The nascent peace process, which offers the only hope for an end to the decade-long Afghan conflict, depends crucially on Afghanistan and Pakistan being able to co-operate. Islamabad denies that the Taliban leadership and Mullah Omar is on its soil, but Kabul and the West believes that they have sanctuary in Pakistan, giving Islamabad decisive leverage over any negotiations. |
| Karzai is understood to deeply resent what he feels is his government's marginalisation in the peace dialogue, which he sees an being controlled by the United States or Pakistan, despite both countries repeatedly saying they want an "Afghan led" process. US-backed efforts in recent months to open an office for the Taliban in the Gulf state of Qatar, to kick-start talks, was an initiative that Kabul felt excluded from. | Karzai is understood to deeply resent what he feels is his government's marginalisation in the peace dialogue, which he sees an being controlled by the United States or Pakistan, despite both countries repeatedly saying they want an "Afghan led" process. US-backed efforts in recent months to open an office for the Taliban in the Gulf state of Qatar, to kick-start talks, was an initiative that Kabul felt excluded from. |
| Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan is only just recovering from accusations last year that the ISI was behind the assassination of Kabul's peace envoy, Burhanuddin Rabbani. | Pakistan's relationship with Afghanistan is only just recovering from accusations last year that the ISI was behind the assassination of Kabul's peace envoy, Burhanuddin Rabbani. |
| Ahead of the Karzai visit, the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad, Umer Daudzai, a key adviser to the president, told a Pakistani newspaper: "President Hamid Karzai will expect Pakistan to facilitate contacts and dialogue with Taliban." | Ahead of the Karzai visit, the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad, Umer Daudzai, a key adviser to the president, told a Pakistani newspaper: "President Hamid Karzai will expect Pakistan to facilitate contacts and dialogue with Taliban." |
| Pakistan says that it will aid Kabul's peace efforts but has never spelt out what it is capable of delivering. Conversely, Pakistan says that it is unclear what Karzai is demanding of it. | Pakistan says that it will aid Kabul's peace efforts but has never spelt out what it is capable of delivering. Conversely, Pakistan says that it is unclear what Karzai is demanding of it. |
| "We told them (the Afghan side) that you need to clarify what it is that you want," said Khar, speaking to a small group of foreign press following the official meetings. "We need to understand each other much better." | "We told them (the Afghan side) that you need to clarify what it is that you want," said Khar, speaking to a small group of foreign press following the official meetings. "We need to understand each other much better." |
| "We will not block any process that works towards reconciliation." | "We will not block any process that works towards reconciliation." |
| Khar described the discussions with the Afghan delegation as "hard" and "serious" but declined to go into any details. "We don't have Mullah Omar to bring," he said. "That's the crazy perception about Pakistan. It's ridiculous." | |