ONLINE - International News Network
Pakistan offers training to Afghanistan army and police: Qureshi
LONDON: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan has offered training to Afghanistan army and police and also offered to increase cooperation in various fields with Afghanistan.
Talking to a private TV channel He said that in the conference the importance of Pakistan was admitted and besides military options, other options for the solution of Afghanistan issue were also discussed." We would have to move forward by keeping the ground realities in mind, " adding, " the Afghanistan government has sought help from Pakistan and Saudi Arab in talks with Taliban".
Qureshi said that Afghanistan has to prepare 0.3 million army and police officials by 2011.
"According to Pakistan point of view, the conference was very successful and addressing our reservations in it is our great success", he added. He said that Hamid Karzai has sought five years time for normalizing the situation in his country.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the international conference in London on Afghanistans future, marked a "decisive" moment in Afghanistans history.
While he warned that British and international troops fighting the Taliban would face more "tough times" ahead, he said a process was being put in place that would enable them to return home.
"It will take time but I believe that the conditions set out in the plan that we will sign up to today can be met sooner than many expect and, as a result, the process of handover district-by-district will begin later this year," he said Speaking to a 60-nation conference in London.
"It will mark the beginning of a new phase and a decisive step towards Afghans taking responsibility for their own security."
Mr Brown backed President Hamid Karzais plan to re-integrate Taliban fighters who are prepared to lay down their arms and renounce violence.
"As an international community responding to President Karzais leadership, we are today establishing an international trust fund to finance this peace and re-integration programme to provide an economic alternative to those who have none," he said.
"But for those insurgents who refuse to accept the conditions for re-integration, we have no choice but to pursue them militarily."
In his opening address, Mr Karzai said a national council for peace, reconciliation and re-integration would be established in Afghanistan.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to play a prominent role in bringing peace to Afghanistan.He said he would call a loya jirga, or council of elders, to discuss how to bring about reconciliation in Afghanistan.
"We will establish a national council for peace and reconciliation and reintegration, followed by a peace jirga in Afghanistan," he said. "We hope His Majesty (Saudi) King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz will kindly play a prominent role to guide and assist the peace process."
Karzai also said stability in Afghanistan depended not just on what happened inside the country but also on its neighbours. "We ask all our neighbours, particularly Pakistan, to support our peace and reconciliation effort," he said. He also urged Afghan insurgents to sever ties with al Qaeda.
The Afghan Foreign minister of Afghanistan Rangeen Dadfur Spanta has termed the, establishing of peace in Afghanistan as a great challenge.
UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband has also announced U$. 140 million dollars for Afghanistan. He said that the aim of the conference was to unite the neighboring countries of Afghanistan.
He elaborated that the situation of Pakistan and Afghanistan were different from each other. And said that more powers would have to be given to Afghan people, as the poor prevalent situation could be improved with dialogue and not only by war.
However, the Taliban have rejected the declaration of London conference, saying, it was nothing more than a western propaganda.
Mullah Zaeef said that relieving the occupation of Afghanistan by foreign forces was the first priority, and stressed that US would have to leave Afghanistan.
