Mar 07, 2010

The Center on International Cooperation (CIC) hosted a two-day Conference (January 18thand 19th) titled, International Guarantees for the Stabilization of Afghanistan in Istanbul, Turkey.  Regional and international experts Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, China, Russia participated in the event.

From CAPS, Mr. Hekmat Karzai, the Director of CAPS participated in the conference and spoke at the first panel titled: Multilateral Processes.   The other topics discussed in the three other sessions were:  Security, Political Issues and Settlement, and Economic Cooperation and Conflict.

The four key questions debated during the Multilateral Processes were:

1)     Is a general international framework for the stabilization of Afghanistan feasible or desirable?

2)     What would be the major issues that need to be resolved or handled?

3)     What are the different actors that need to be involved and in what formats?

4)     Is “Neutralization” (or something similar) an appropriate objective?

Below are excerpts from Mr. Karzai remarks on “neutraliztion.’

“We need to reconfigure our perceptions of the ground reality.  Most importantly, it is not that Afghanistan should adopt the ‘Neutralization Status” but regional countries should stop interfering in the affairs of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan should not be forced to choose between its friends and allies.   Although some of its neighbors do need, in my opinion, an international guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used a launching pad against them and that in many aspects has become a very serious fear for Pakistan.

In this context, what we need in Afghanistan is a ‘Normal Status.’  Afghanistan wants to be a normal country and if it wants to sign a strategic partnership with any country, it should be entitled to do so.

What have to focus on is strengthening Afghan institutions, so, the state is able to defend and provide for the Afghan people.”