Karzai is 'corrupt' but 'our guy': Kouchner in NYT
Paris: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is
"corrupt" but NATO has to accept that "he is our guy" in the
country, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said,
according to the New York Times today.
Kouchner also complained that President Barack Obama's US
administration was drawing up a new strategy for the war in
Afghanistan without consulting its European allies within
NATO, leaving them in the dark.
"What is the goal? What is the road? And in the name of
what?" Kouchner asked, according to the New York Times report.
"Where are the Americans? It begins to be a problem ... We
need to talk to each other as allies."
Karzai was named President for his second term on Monday
after a chaotic election in which the first round results were
marred by massive fraud and the second round abandoned after
his main opponent dropped out in disgust.
Nevertheless, Kouchner said the allies had no choice but
to work with him in order to get the mission in Afghanistan
back on track and start building a state capable of protecting
its people and holding of the Taliban.
"Karzai is corrupt, OK," he said, according to the Times.
"We have to legitimise him."
France has given Karzai a nine-point plan it feels will
help him reform his government and has urged him to find a way
to work with his bitter defeated election rival, former
Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.
Bureau Report