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Guttenberg calls for Taliban inclusion in Afghan govt.
Germany's Defense Minister says war-torn Afghanistan can never taste democracy according to Western ideals, casting doubts on the mantra for the international presence there. In an interview with the mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag newspaper, Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg not only urged inclusion of moderate Taliban members in the Afghan government, but also conditioned any lasting peace in the country on that concession. Guttenberg said he had arrived at this strategy from studying Afghanistan's history and character. "Because we are in a country with such regional diversity...We can't just leave out an entire ethnic group like the Pashtuns if we want sustainable solutions for the future," he was quoted by the paper as saying. Certain conditions would need to be fulfilled, however, and it would be unacceptable for the Afghan government to ignore universal human rights. "We must ask ourselves who from the insurgents poses a serious threat to the international community and who is more concerned with the conditions in Afghanistan itself," he said. "This issue of human rights must also be taken into account, without ignoring the existing cultures and traditions in Afghanistan." His remarks in the past week seem to hint at a new German policy toward Afghanistan. He told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that he would support bids to engage in peace talks with non-terrorist Taliban members. Guttenberg has also vowed to fight pressure demanding his resignation over allegations that he was complicit in covering up the large civilian toll of September's German-ordered strike in northern Afghanistan ahead of election later that month. The September 4 attack in Afghanistan's Kunduz Province, killed or wounded more than 14 people, including at least 30 civilians. Posted by: Fred 2009-12-28 |
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