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Afghan govt says UN representative out of line

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-07 17:32

KABUL: Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the top UN official in the country overstepped his authority by giving instructions on how to rid the government of corruption and warlords.

Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide "delivered comments which exceeded international norms and his authority as a representative of an impartial organization," the ministry said in a statement.

It was strongest indication yet that the administration of President Hamid Karzai will resist prescriptions from the international community on how to rein in corruption or regional leaders who often wield more power than the government.

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A host of international figures, including President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have called for the Afghan government to take concrete steps to clean up the government following a presidential election that was marred by fraud.

The vote took two and a half months to resolve because of ballot-box stuffing and the unwillingness of Karzai and election officials he appointed to accept results that would have forced him into a runoff vote. The second round was canceled after his challenger dropped out.

Eide warned Thursday that the Afghan government should not assume that it will have the support of international donors and troops if it continues to accept corruption and welcome warlords into the administration.

"Troop countries are looking very carefully, and more carefully and more intensively, than before at what is happening and that will certainly determine the public mood at this critical juncture. And that's a factor of conditionality that governments cannot ignore," he said.

Karzai's collection of advisers and ministers "should be composed of competent, reform-oriented personalities that can implement a reform agenda," he added.

The Foreign Ministry condemned such comments as interfering in national sovereignty.

"Over the last few days some political and diplomatic circles and propaganda agencies of certain foreign countries have intervened in Afghanistan's internal affairs by issuing instructions concerning the composition of Afghan government organs and political policy of Afghanistan," the statement said. "Such instructions have violated respect for Afghanistan's national sovereignty."

Karzai promised in his first speech after being declared the victor of the recent election that he would work to eliminate corruption, but did not give any specific proposals.

Eide was more detailed. He said potential government officials should be vetted not just for ties to illegal armed groups but for links to criminal or drug activity. Karzai's running mate has repeatedly denied allegations that he has been involved in drug smuggling.

A spokesman for Karzai, Humayun Hamidzada, responded soon after Eide spoke that the president plans to fight corruption but does not yet have a detailed plan. As for the warlords, Hamidzada argued that Karzai has strengthened Afghanistan by including even his opponents in his government. He did not say then that Eide's remarks were out of line.

Eide's comments were one of many reproaches in recent days for Karzai.

During a telephone call Nov. 2 to congratulate Karzai on his re-election, Obama said he told the Afghan leader that any assurances of reform had to be backed up with action. "The proof is not going to be in words. It's going to be in deeds," Obama said.

A day later, Brown said Karzai should "make clear that he is going to take immediate action on corruption." The US ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, told reporters that the Karzai government needs to start writing a new chapter for Afghanistan that should include a "much more serious effort to eradicate corruption."

The UN Security Council joined calls for reform Friday, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling the country's political situation "delicate" following deeply flawed elections.

But none has directly threatened to pull out operations. Eide has done the opposite, repeatedly saying that the UN has plans to leave Afghanistan following a Taliban assault on a guesthouse that killed five UN staffers. The world body is pulling out 200 international staffers because of the attacks and temporarily relocating about 600 while they arrange more secure residences.

The US has already committed 68,000 troops in Afghanistan and Obama is currently reviewing a plan to send tens of thousands more. The US said during the Afghan election that it was looking for a legitimate partner in Afghanistan, but even though Obama has called for reform, he has not said his troop decision hinges on the credibility of the Karzai administration.