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BREAKING NEWS – ALSO … Obama Riyadh’s puppet on Syria?
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Afghanistan suspends security pact talks with U.S. amid Taliban peace process
(Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai has decided to suspend talks on a security pact with the United States, accusing Washington of mixed messages regarding peace talks with the Taliban, his spokesman said on Wednesday.
“In a special meeting chaired by President Hamid Karzai, the president has decided to suspend talks about a security pact with the U.S. because of their inconsistent statements and actions in regard to the peace process,” spokesman Aimal Faizi told Reuters.
Negotiations on the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) began earlier this year and, if completed, will define the shape of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan for years to come.
In Iraq, a collapse in negotiations regarding a similar pact saw the U.S. pull all troops out of the country. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said it was preparing a statement on the announcement.
This has happened before …
Afghanistan’s Taliban suspend peace talks with US
(BBC News) March 15, 2012 – The Taliban in Afghanistan have suspended preliminary peace negotiations with the United States. The group blamed the Americans’ “ever-changing position” and said US efforts to involve the Afghan authorities were a key stumbling block to further talks.
The Taliban regard the Kabul government as illegitimate.
President Karzai told visiting US defence secretary Leon Panetta that Afghan troops should take the lead for nationwide security in 2013.
‘Pointless’
In a statement, the Taliban said they had agreed to talks focusing on a political office being established in Qatar and on a prisoner exchange. They said they were suspending the talks because of “the shaky, erratic and vague standpoint of the Americans”.
US diplomatic sources say the Taliban were told by US negotiators that the Afghan government had to be a part of any negotiations. The Taliban statement reiterated that the group “considers talking with the Kabul administration as pointless.”
Other conditions reportedly set by the US in the talks include accepting of the Afghan constitution – which the Taliban have rejected – and publicly denouncing al-Qaeda.
Riyadh believes it’s duty bound to act on Syria
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Gulf News) – King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia cut short his holiday in Morocco and returned to Jeddah a few days ago “due to the repercussions of the events that are currently taking place in the region”, the state news agency SPA reported.
The decision was made after Washington altered its long-standing position not to provide military support to the Syrian Free Army. On Thursday, the United States announced a major shift in policy towards the Syrian crisis, though no details were available as to what kind of military aid would be sent.
For its part, Riyadh stepped up both its diplomatic efforts to persuade leading Western powers to change their positions following the fall of Qusayr, and pledged to transfer sorely needed surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles to assist rebel forces before an anticipated assault by President Bashar Al Assad’s forces — backed by Hezbollah and Iranian troops — on Aleppo.
Parallel to these developments, and as expected, a clash of wills between Western countries and Russia occurred at the Northern Ireland G8 conference, where Syria topped the agenda, especially after Moscow criticised Washington’s announcement that the US would arm opposition fighters.
See also yesterday’s diary – Qatar Will Host Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) Peace Talks.
