Haiti News.Net
Thursday 14th June, 2012
Addressing a day-long regional conference on the future of Afghanistan, Salehi voiced Iran's deep concerns over the increasing violence and insecurity in Afghanistan, in particular the repeated instances of foreign troops' involvement in human rights violations and manslaughter in the country, Iranian state-run news agency FARS reported.
Representatives from 29 countries are participating in the conference, which was inaugurated by President Hamid Karzai, to chalk out a roadmap for Afghanistan with the NATO having agreed at a summit in Chicago to stick to plans to withdraw the bulk of 130,000 foreign combat troops from the country by the end of 2014.
The Iranian minister stated that a decade of foreign troops' presence in Afghanistan has done nothing for the country, instead worsened its security situation through institutionalization of terrorism, growth of illegal drugs production and smuggling leading to increase in organized crimes, massacre of civilians and destruction of cities and villages in large scales.
Stating that strategic partnership deal and efforts to establish foreign military bases in Afghanistan ran against regional and international moves to achieve peace, the Iranian minister cautioned against continuing presence of any foreign troops.
"A particular country intends to prolong its military presence in Afghanistan in pursuit of its extra regional objectives. This certainly adds to the security concerns of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries," said Salehi.
He added that such a turn of events "could turn this country once again into scene of security rivalries".
Washington denies it is seeking to establish permanent military bases in Afghanistan, but American military sources say they envisage around 15,000 forces remaining in Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal, reported AFP.
Afghanistan president Karzai sought to reassure neighbours that strategic partnership deals signed by Kabul with several Western powers including the US for continuing role in the country beyond 2014, would not damage ties.
Karzai had last month warned of tough negotiations with Washington over a security pact to address issues related to the continuing US presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, including the legal status of foreign troops.
Voicing concerns about the proposal for US troops presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014, Salehi said Tehran welcomes the agreement made by Kabul and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan by 2014 and bestowing the country's security control to its domestic forces.
Drawing attention to the problem of drugs smuggling in Afghanistan, the Iranian minister urged international will and effort.
Afghanistan's drugs smuggling network was closely related to the terrorist groups inside the country as they used the drug money to fund terrorist activities, said the minister.
Through Iran's shared border with Afghanistan on the eastern part, it has become a favorite transit corridor to Europe. Iran spends billions of dollars and has lost thousands of its police troops in the war against traffickers. Owing to its efforts, Iran makes 85 per cent of the world's total opium seizures and has turned into the leading country in drug campaign, reported FARS.
Over the past five years, it has contributed more than $50 million annually to Afghan anti-narcotics efforts, but Iranian police officials maintain that drug production in Afghanistan has undergone a 40-fold increase since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.
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