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Immunity without compromising Afghan sovereignty :Karzai | Pajhwok Afghan News
Washington (PAN): Afghanistan will favorably look into the US demand of immunity to its soldier post 2014 without compromising its sovereignty, the President, Hamid Karzai, said Friday, even as his US counterpart, Barack Obama, insisted it would be difficult for him to have troops stationed in the country without some short of immunity for them.
“I can go to the Afghan people and argue for immunity for US troops in Afghanistan in a way that Afghan sovereignty will not be compromised, in a way that Afghan law will not be compromised, in a way that the provisions that we arrive at through our talks will give the United States the satisfaction of what it seeks and will also provide the Afghan people the benefits that they are seeking through this partnership and the subsequent agreement,” Karzai told reporters at a joint White House news conference.
With negotiations on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) currently under way, Karzai, in response to a question from an American journalist noted that he understands that the issue of immunity is of very specific importance of the United States, as was, for Afghanistan, the issue of sovereignty and detentions and the continued presence of international forces in Afghan villages and the very conduct of the war itself. Now those issues have been addressed, he observed.
Obama in response to the same question insisted that the US would not keep its troops in Afghanistan post 2014, without the kind of immunity arrangement the United States has with other countries across the world.
“I've said to President Karzai that we have arrangements like this with countries all around the world. And nowhere do we have any kind of security agreement with a country without immunity for our troops. You know, that's how I, as commander in chief, can make sure that our folks are protected in carrying out very difficult missions. And so I think President Karzai understands that,” he said.
“I don't want to get ahead of ourselves in terms of the negotiations that are still remaining on the Bilateral Security Agreement. But I think it's fair to say that from my perspective, at least, it will not be possible for us to have any kind of U.S. troop presence post-2014 without assurances that our men and women who are operating there are in some way subject to the jurisdiction of another country,” Obama said.
Responding to another question, Obama said no decision has been made on the number of US troops in Afghanistan or the pace of drawdown of troops. He is awaiting for recommendations in this regard from the commanders on the ground, Obama said. Karzai said it is for the US to decide on the number of troops it will have in Afghanistan post 2014.
The two leaders addressed the joint press conference after holding a series of meetings at the White House since Friday morning including a one-o-one in the Oval Office, one with the two delegations and then the lunch. The two leaders also issued a joint statement, detailing the achievements in Afghanistan in recent years and the way forward.
Washington (PAN): Afghanistan will favorably look into the US demand of immunity to its soldier post 2014 without compromising its sovereignty, the President, Hamid Karzai, said Friday, even as his US counterpart, Barack Obama, insisted it would be difficult for him to have troops stationed in the country without some short of immunity for them.
“I can go to the Afghan people and argue for immunity for US troops in Afghanistan in a way that Afghan sovereignty will not be compromised, in a way that Afghan law will not be compromised, in a way that the provisions that we arrive at through our talks will give the United States the satisfaction of what it seeks and will also provide the Afghan people the benefits that they are seeking through this partnership and the subsequent agreement,” Karzai told reporters at a joint White House news conference.
With negotiations on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) currently under way, Karzai, in response to a question from an American journalist noted that he understands that the issue of immunity is of very specific importance of the United States, as was, for Afghanistan, the issue of sovereignty and detentions and the continued presence of international forces in Afghan villages and the very conduct of the war itself. Now those issues have been addressed, he observed.
Obama in response to the same question insisted that the US would not keep its troops in Afghanistan post 2014, without the kind of immunity arrangement the United States has with other countries across the world.
“I've said to President Karzai that we have arrangements like this with countries all around the world. And nowhere do we have any kind of security agreement with a country without immunity for our troops. You know, that's how I, as commander in chief, can make sure that our folks are protected in carrying out very difficult missions. And so I think President Karzai understands that,” he said.
“I don't want to get ahead of ourselves in terms of the negotiations that are still remaining on the Bilateral Security Agreement. But I think it's fair to say that from my perspective, at least, it will not be possible for us to have any kind of U.S. troop presence post-2014 without assurances that our men and women who are operating there are in some way subject to the jurisdiction of another country,” Obama said.
Responding to another question, Obama said no decision has been made on the number of US troops in Afghanistan or the pace of drawdown of troops. He is awaiting for recommendations in this regard from the commanders on the ground, Obama said. Karzai said it is for the US to decide on the number of troops it will have in Afghanistan post 2014.
The two leaders addressed the joint press conference after holding a series of meetings at the White House since Friday morning including a one-o-one in the Oval Office, one with the two delegations and then the lunch. The two leaders also issued a joint statement, detailing the achievements in Afghanistan in recent years and the way forward.
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