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| Afghanistan’s Karzai Says ‘No Circumstances’ Allow Him to Seek Another Term | Afghanistan’s Karzai Says ‘No Circumstances’ Allow Him to Seek Another Term |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NEW DELHI — Seeking to dispel widespread rumors that he would find a way to cling to power beyond the end of his second term next year, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan said Wednesday that there was “no circumstance that will allow me to stay as president.” | NEW DELHI — Seeking to dispel widespread rumors that he would find a way to cling to power beyond the end of his second term next year, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan said Wednesday that there was “no circumstance that will allow me to stay as president.” |
| “And there are two reasons for that,” he said. “One is, I’m exhausted. Really, totally exhausted and I would like to be retired. And second, why would I ruin my legacy by staying on and taking an opportunity away from Afghanistan to become an institutionalized democracy?” | “And there are two reasons for that,” he said. “One is, I’m exhausted. Really, totally exhausted and I would like to be retired. And second, why would I ruin my legacy by staying on and taking an opportunity away from Afghanistan to become an institutionalized democracy?” |
| Elections are scheduled for April of next year, and American and European officials say privately that billions of dollars of aid on which Afghanistan depends would be jeopardized if the vote does not go ahead. | Elections are scheduled for April of next year, and American and European officials say privately that billions of dollars of aid on which Afghanistan depends would be jeopardized if the vote does not go ahead. |
| That message has been conveyed to Mr. Karzai, the officials have said, and the Afghan leader has repeatedly sought to dispel talk that he would try to find a way to stay on beyond his constitutionally mandated two terms. | That message has been conveyed to Mr. Karzai, the officials have said, and the Afghan leader has repeatedly sought to dispel talk that he would try to find a way to stay on beyond his constitutionally mandated two terms. |
| But the rumors have persisted, fueled in part by the reticence of possible contenders to declare their interest in running. | But the rumors have persisted, fueled in part by the reticence of possible contenders to declare their interest in running. |
| To do so, Afghan politicians and analysts say, would be to acknowledge that Mr. Karzai is a lame duck. With government power highly centralized around the president — he appoints everyone from ministers to district governors, for instance — few top officials are willing to risk angering him by openly campaigning to fill his job. | To do so, Afghan politicians and analysts say, would be to acknowledge that Mr. Karzai is a lame duck. With government power highly centralized around the president — he appoints everyone from ministers to district governors, for instance — few top officials are willing to risk angering him by openly campaigning to fill his job. |
| Mr. Karzai said he had come to New Delhi with a “wish list” that he hopes India will provide. He and others in his party refused to specify what was on the list. India provides training to Afghan forces, although that training is done entirely in India. | Mr. Karzai said he had come to New Delhi with a “wish list” that he hopes India will provide. He and others in his party refused to specify what was on the list. India provides training to Afghan forces, although that training is done entirely in India. |
| India could provide small arms that are made in India, but those weapons are generally not highly regarded. Most of the weapons Afghanistan might want India has to buy itself from abroad. | India could provide small arms that are made in India, but those weapons are generally not highly regarded. Most of the weapons Afghanistan might want India has to buy itself from abroad. |
| Mr. Karzai’s trip to India was overshadowed by that of the Chinese prime minister, Li Keqiang, who left New Delhi on Tuesday just as Mr. Karzai was ushered in to see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The two visits, along with the leadership change last week in Pakistan, made for an unusually active week in top-level South Asian political jockeying. | Mr. Karzai’s trip to India was overshadowed by that of the Chinese prime minister, Li Keqiang, who left New Delhi on Tuesday just as Mr. Karzai was ushered in to see Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The two visits, along with the leadership change last week in Pakistan, made for an unusually active week in top-level South Asian political jockeying. |
| Afghanistan’s outreach to India has long been a source of intense concern in Pakistan, but Mr. Karzai said Wednesday that he needed permission from no one to conduct diplomacy. “Afghanistan is a sovereign country, and like all sovereigns, it has the right to choose its friends,” Mr. Karzai said. “But our relations with India will not be at the cost of Pakistan or a cause for worry for Pakistan.” | Afghanistan’s outreach to India has long been a source of intense concern in Pakistan, but Mr. Karzai said Wednesday that he needed permission from no one to conduct diplomacy. “Afghanistan is a sovereign country, and like all sovereigns, it has the right to choose its friends,” Mr. Karzai said. “But our relations with India will not be at the cost of Pakistan or a cause for worry for Pakistan.” |
| Mr. Karzai said he welcomed the recent election of Nawaz Sharif as president in Pakistan, saying he had dined with Mr. Sharif last year in Islamabad. “I found him very much inclined to better relations with India,” Mr. Karzai said. “I found him aware of the dangers of terrorism.” | Mr. Karzai said he welcomed the recent election of Nawaz Sharif as president in Pakistan, saying he had dined with Mr. Sharif last year in Islamabad. “I found him very much inclined to better relations with India,” Mr. Karzai said. “I found him aware of the dangers of terrorism.” |
| Mr. Karzai dismissed widespread concerns that his government was deeply corrupt and that his own family had been among the worst offenders. Most corruption, he said, results from the contracting practices of foreign countries, “especially on the part of the United States.” | Mr. Karzai dismissed widespread concerns that his government was deeply corrupt and that his own family had been among the worst offenders. Most corruption, he said, results from the contracting practices of foreign countries, “especially on the part of the United States.” |
| The worst corruption centered for years on private security companies, which he finally banned, he said. Beyond that, those who criticize Afghanistan for its corruption mostly do so for political reasons, said Mr. Karzai, who earlier this month acknowledged that the Central Intelligence Agency has for more than a decade financed a presidential slush fund used to buy the support of warlords, lawmakers and other powerful afghans. | The worst corruption centered for years on private security companies, which he finally banned, he said. Beyond that, those who criticize Afghanistan for its corruption mostly do so for political reasons, said Mr. Karzai, who earlier this month acknowledged that the Central Intelligence Agency has for more than a decade financed a presidential slush fund used to buy the support of warlords, lawmakers and other powerful afghans. |
| “If Denmark criticizes corruption in Afghanistan, I will see it as meant to improve things,” he said. “But if the United States does it, I will simply laugh at it.” | “If Denmark criticizes corruption in Afghanistan, I will see it as meant to improve things,” he said. “But if the United States does it, I will simply laugh at it.” |
| Mr. Karzai dismissed the idea that Afghanistan might turn as violent and chaotic as Iraq after most foreign troops leave in 2014. “Iraq is a very unfortunate situation. We are pained to see the way Iraq is suffering,” he said. “I can tell you with a strong measure of confidence that Afghanistan will not see that.” | Mr. Karzai dismissed the idea that Afghanistan might turn as violent and chaotic as Iraq after most foreign troops leave in 2014. “Iraq is a very unfortunate situation. We are pained to see the way Iraq is suffering,” he said. “I can tell you with a strong measure of confidence that Afghanistan will not see that.” |
| The reason, he said, is that Afghanistan has never suffered the sort of sectarian violence that Iraq has experienced. | The reason, he said, is that Afghanistan has never suffered the sort of sectarian violence that Iraq has experienced. |
| The peace process is continuing but can only be successful with the participation of Pakistan, he said. “Pakistan has influence over the Taliban because they have residence there, to put it mildly,” he said. | The peace process is continuing but can only be successful with the participation of Pakistan, he said. “Pakistan has influence over the Taliban because they have residence there, to put it mildly,” he said. |
| Mr. Karzai said that he has publicly differed with the American policy on how to conduct the fight against terror for eight years, and he said night raids in particular were destructive. “I’m happy that we have now reached agreement in which night raids have been suspended,” he said. | Mr. Karzai said that he has publicly differed with the American policy on how to conduct the fight against terror for eight years, and he said night raids in particular were destructive. “I’m happy that we have now reached agreement in which night raids have been suspended,” he said. |
Matthew Rosenberg | Matthew Rosenberg reported from Kabul. |