New Delhi
6 July 2005
Peace may be returning albeit slowly to Afghanistan but outside the
trouble-torn country there appears to be tension brewing of a different kind. China and
Russia have in the recently-concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's declaration
sought to know by when the US-led coalition forces intend to wind up their bases in some
of the central Asian states that are also members of the SCO.
The SCO leaders have called for the US-led anti-terrorist coalition in Afghanistan to set a
timeframe for withdrawing its forces from its western bases in Uzbekistan and
Kyrgyzstan. The declaration said deadlines should be set on the presence of military
bases there. The bases were set up in 2001 by the US-led coalition that toppled the
Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
"Considering that the active phase of the military anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan
has finished, member states ... consider it essential that the relevant participants in the
anti-terrorist coalition set deadlines for the temporary use" of bases in central Asia, the
declaration issued towards the end of the summit -- attended by India -- in Kazakhstan's
capital Astana read.
The veiled 'ultimatum' comes barely days after Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah
Abdullah told media persons in India that foreign troops would continue to operate for
"some more time" in Afghanistan as remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban were still active
in the region. Dr Abdullah was answering reporters after his address on 'The new
Afghanistan' at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
Dr Abdullah, who called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also held talks with his
Indian counterpart Natwar Singh during his two-day visit to India last week, told reporters
talks were nevertheless on to bring the US-led coalition forces and the NATO troops
under a single command even as the Bonn Agreement that set out the roadmap for
Afghanistan's return to peace would end with the successful holding of parliamentary
elections in September.
"The Afghan people welcomed the presence of foreign troops on its soil and they would
remain till the country is able to stand on its feet," Dr Abdullah said. Referring to the
challenge posed by terrorists from across the border, he spoke about the "need to work
with Pakistan" to overcome security concerns.
He clarified that it was not as if the coalition forces would be allowed to set up
"permanent bases" and went on to elaborate that the strategic partnership entered into
with the US would be independent of the trilateral cooperation among the US, Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
No comments:
Post a Comment