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| Hamid Karzai rules out foreigners on election watchdog | Hamid Karzai rules out foreigners on election watchdog |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The president, Hamid Karzai, has said he will not accept foreigners on a key election watchdog, a move that risks undermining the credibility of a presidential poll in 2014. | |
| Karzai also said Afghans would not be willing to grant foreign troops immunity from prosecution while the country was at war, a position that could jeopardise plans for a long-term foreign military presence in the country. | Karzai also said Afghans would not be willing to grant foreign troops immunity from prosecution while the country was at war, a position that could jeopardise plans for a long-term foreign military presence in the country. |
| "The presence of foreigners in the Electoral Complaints Commission [ECC] is against the sovereignty of Afghanistan," Karzai said at a news conference in Kabul with the visiting Nato chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to Reuters. | "The presence of foreigners in the Electoral Complaints Commission [ECC] is against the sovereignty of Afghanistan," Karzai said at a news conference in Kabul with the visiting Nato chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to Reuters. |
| The 2014 election coincides with the departure of Nato-led troops from Afghanistan, and is expected to lay the foundation for the country's future without the coalition or Karzai, who has ruled for a decade and cannot stand for the top office again under Afghan law. | |
| There are already concerns about the potential for fraud, after widespread corruption marred votes in 2009 and 2010. Rights groups warned that the ECC would be weakened by the loss of members best able to ignore internal political pressure. | There are already concerns about the potential for fraud, after widespread corruption marred votes in 2009 and 2010. Rights groups warned that the ECC would be weakened by the loss of members best able to ignore internal political pressure. |
| "In the 2009-2010 elections the ECC was the only entity that was involved in the whole process who came out looking good … and that seemed to be due in no small part to the fact that they had internationals involved who didn't have a dog in the fight," said Heather Barr, Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch. "So it's really concerning to see that particular institution changed and possibly made less immune to external influence in the runup to what is going to be a very critical election." | "In the 2009-2010 elections the ECC was the only entity that was involved in the whole process who came out looking good … and that seemed to be due in no small part to the fact that they had internationals involved who didn't have a dog in the fight," said Heather Barr, Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch. "So it's really concerning to see that particular institution changed and possibly made less immune to external influence in the runup to what is going to be a very critical election." |
| Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi said foreigners were still welcome as election monitors, but that the Afghan government was able to ensure the poll was fair. | Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi said foreigners were still welcome as election monitors, but that the Afghan government was able to ensure the poll was fair. |
| Rasmussen and Karzai also discussed a role for foreign troops after 2014. "This will not be a combat mission. It will focus on training, advice and assistance. And we are actively planning for that mission", Rasmussen said. | Rasmussen and Karzai also discussed a role for foreign troops after 2014. "This will not be a combat mission. It will focus on training, advice and assistance. And we are actively planning for that mission", Rasmussen said. |
| The US and Afghanistan are involved in sensitive negotiations about the shape of a long-term military presence, expected to lay the groundwork for similar deals with other Nato countries. The most challenging detail is expected to be the legal status of US forces; the Iraqi government's refusal to grant immunity precipitated the final pullout of US troops there last year. Karzai said Afghans would not tolerate such protections either, unless the country became more secure. | The US and Afghanistan are involved in sensitive negotiations about the shape of a long-term military presence, expected to lay the groundwork for similar deals with other Nato countries. The most challenging detail is expected to be the legal status of US forces; the Iraqi government's refusal to grant immunity precipitated the final pullout of US troops there last year. Karzai said Afghans would not tolerate such protections either, unless the country became more secure. |
| "If Afghanistan is stable and peaceful, the Afghan people will not have much problem with immunity but if Afghanistan is not peaceful or continues to be in a state of war, the Afghan people will not see the benefit of partnership for them," Faizi said. "Once they have security and peace they will agree with the issue of immunity and it will be easier for the president to go to the people and ask for immunity." |