Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, says he will not immediately sign a security deal with the United States ignoring a recommendation by an assembly of Afghan elders and leaders. Karzai spoke after the Loya Jirga issued a statement recommending he sign the agreement. He argued Afghanistan needed more time to ensure that the United States was committed to peace in the country. He did not indicate when he would decide to sign.
The chairman of the 2,500 member national consultative council approved the deal and asked that it be signed by the end of 2013 after three days of debating the issue. The Obama administration has said it will pull U.S. forces out of Afghanistan without a security deal, as it did when Iraq failed to sign a similar agreement. Most of America’s allies have also said they will not keep troops in Afghanistan without the deal.
Karzai stunned the U.S. when he urged delegates on Thursday’s opening day to approve the security pact but said he might leave it to his successor to sign it. His remarks were widely seen as a last minute move to force the gathering to ask him to sign the long delayed accord, thus shifting the responsibility for the deal away from him to the elders.
One committee head, Rahima Jameh said, “The signing of (the) Bilateral Security Agreement is very important for Afghanistan because when it is signed, our people will have no concern for their future. It is our suggestion that after the end of Loya Jirga the president should sign it as soon as possible and send it to parliament for approval.” Numerous committees, (out of approximately 50), said they had issues with a clause giving the U.S. legal jurisdiction over troops and Defense Department civilians accused of crimes in Afghanistan, although they wanted the deal in principle. Some committees said that trials should be held in Afghanistan, under U.S. jurisdiction, while others said the Afghan government and families should have access to any trials. Few, however, so far said they disagreed outright with the U.S. having jurisdiction.
