Afghan presidential spokesman clarifies Karzai comments

Mar 14, 2011, 14:15 GMT

Kabul - Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked NATO and US merely to stop operations that result in civilian casualties - and not all the operations, an official clarified on Monday.

'The president of Afghanistan asked to stop those operations that caused civilians causalities,' said Waheed Omar, the principal spokesman for Karzai.

'He suggested to stop any such operations and this is just a continuation of the plea of president, the government and the people of Afghanistan who have been asking to stop such operations for many years,' Omar told journalists in the capital Kabul.

Karzai had appeared to say on Saturday that NATO and US should stop their operations in the war-torn country.

'I ask NATO and US, with honour and humbleness and not with arrogance, to stop its operations in our soil,' Karzai was quoted as saying in the eastern province of Kunar during his visit to express condolence to the families of nine children who were killed by US airstrike earlier this month.

Omar said the president's speech was focused on operations conducted in Kunar province.

According to reports, Afghan president made the comment after he was shown a one-year old child who had his leg amputated because of the airstrike.

Civilian casualty has been a major contention between Afghan government and international forces, mainly the US forces. The New York Times had reported that US military officials were angered by Karzai's comment.

The presidential spokesman said despite disagreements, there is nothing personal in his comments.

'This is not an issue of personal interest. General David Petraeus represents the NATO and the coalition forces and the president represents the people of Afghanistan,' Omar told reporters.

'I don't think any of this is anything personal or of personal disagreement.'

'We do have our disagreements. But we do agree on issues of policy,' Omar said, adding the president meets with General Petraeus and other ISAF commanders regularly.

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