February 2nd, 2010 by Jessica

Following the Afghanistan conference in London, President Hamid Karzai returned to his country optimistic, as reported in an article for The Christian Science Monitor.  Outcomes of the conference included an increase in governmental control of Western aid from 20% to 50% and NATO support for Taliban engagement, with $140 million pledged towards the dual goals of reconciliation and reintegration. The $140 million was announced by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as, “an international trust fund to finance this Afghan-led peace and reintegration program to provide an economic alternative to those who have none.”  The fund is slated to provide Taliban fighters with jobs on the condition that they renounce extremism. The U.S. has pledged to support this approach as long as the aforementioned conditions are met, in addition to embracing democracy. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have also jointly agreed to fund debt relief from major creditors up to $1.6 billion dollars.

During the conference, President Karzai called on Saudi Arabia to help with Taliban reintegration efforts. Following the London conference, Karzai met with Saudi leaders in a bid for assistance with the Taliban.  An article for the Huffington Post reports the conditions under which Saudi Arabia will act as an intermediary between the current Afghan government and the Taliban.  The Saudi position was made clear by Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal at the London conference, “So long as the Taliban doesn’t stop providing shelter for terrorists and [Osama] bin Laden and end their contacts with them, I don’t think the negotiations will be positive or even able to achieve anything. They must tell us that they gave this up, and prove it of course.” While Karzai is amenable to discussions with the Taliban, he remains adamant in his decision to expel members of Al Qaeda from the reconciliation efforts, saying that terrorists have no role in the future of Afghanistan.

The Taliban are not without their own requirements for accepting Karzai’s invitation to begin negotiations, recently reiterating their demand for the withdrawal of foreign troops before peace talks begin.  Additionally the Taliban have demanded that in return for peace talks mediated by Saudia Arabia, the U.S. must immediately halt plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Karzai maintains that these conditions are unrealistic.

Posted in Afghanistan, Foreign Aid, Saudi Arabia, Taliban, United Nations, al-Qaeda |