US President George W. Bush welcomed Afghan President Hamid Karzai
who arrived at Camp David, a presidential retreat of the United
States on Sunday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss some issues of mutual
interests including the war on terror, counter narcotics and the US
contribution towards rebuilding of the post-Taliban
Afghanistan.
In addition, the fate of 21 South Korean hostages held by the
Taliban is also likely to be high on the agenda for the two days of
discussions.
Taliban militants who abducted 23 South Koreans on July 19, have
shot dead two of them so far and vowed to execute the remaining if
the afghan government fails to meet their demand which includes the
release of their eight Taliban comrades.
The Associated Press said that Karzai chatted briefly with a few
of Bush's top aides, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Then Bush drove him away in a
golf cart.
Bush and Karzai are expected to have an official meeting Monday
morning. And a joint press conference follows after the talks.
US government officials have described the meeting as a private
"strategy session" between partners and a chance to reiterate
unwavering US support for Karzai's beleaguered government.
Afghanistan, under the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, is
a strong US ally. However, Afghanistan has been struggling with a
resurgent Taliban and persistent narcotics trade.
More than 2,200 people have been killed in bloody conflicts in
Afghanistan since the beginning of this year.
At least 600 Afghan civilians have been killed in
insurgency-linked violence this year, half of them by international
forces, according to statistics used by the United Nations.
Last year saw the worst fighting since the Taliban were toppled
in 2001 as they regrouped, with the help of safe havens and
training grounds across the border in Pakistan and money from drug
lords fattened by record opium crops.
It was reported that more than 4,000 people died in fighting
last year, a quarter of them civilians.
The Taliban claimed that 2007 will be the bloodiest year for
foreign troops yet, saying they have thousands of enthusiastic
suicide bombers ready for action.
Prior to his meeting with Bush, Karzai told CNN that "The
security situation in Afghanistan over the past two years has
definitely deteriorated. There is no doubt about that."
In the hunt for leader of the al-Qaida Osama bin Laden, the
United States and its allies have essentially gotten nowhere
lately, Karzai said, noting "We are where we were a few years
ago."
In addition to Afghanistan issues, Bush and Karzai were
reportedly to discuss Afghanistan's relationship with neighboring
Pakistan and Iran. Karzai said the penetration of foreign militants
from Pakistan into Afghanistan has become a concern that he will
address soon with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
On Iran, Karzai said he is investigating reports that Iran is
fueling violence in Afghanistan by sending in weaponry such as
sophisticated roadside bombs.
But he insisted that "Iran has been a supporter of Afghanistan,
in the peace process that we have and the fight against terror, and
the fight against narcotics in Afghanistan."
The Afghan top leader said that Afghanistan and Iran had "very,
very good, very, very close relations. ... We will continue to have
good relations with Iran."
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2007)
