British PM hosts Afghan, Pakistani leaders

LONDON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron Monday hosted a trilateral summit with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan to help bolster their strategic partnership.

Both Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari, were accompanied by their respective military leaders, foreign ministers and intelligence chiefs for the London meeting with Cameron.

The trilateral meeting took place as Karzai works to move the peace process with the Taliban in his country forward and secure further cooperation from his Pakistani neighbor, which has already released several Taliban detainees from custody to show its cooperation.

The Voice of America quoted a British statement that it expects the Afghans and Pakistanis to make further progress on the outlines of a strategic partnership accord discussed last September.

The BBC said for the first time Afghan and Pakistani army and intelligence chiefs will also take part in the London meeting.

Progress in the peace process is important as U.S. and NATO forces are scheduled to complete the withdrawal of their forces from Afghanistan by 2014. However, there is still a lack of trust between Afghanistan and Pakistan over accusations that Islamabad is using the insurgents to gain control in Afghanistan. Pakistan has denied these assertions.

Britain's Guardian quoted Karzai as saying during an interview with it and the ITN in London ahead of his meeting with Cameron that the greatest long-term threat to his country is not the insurgents but meddling by foreign powers.

"They feel fulfilled with regard to the objective of fighting terrorism and weakening al-Qaida, or they feel that they were fighting in the wrong place in the first place, so they should discontinue doing that and leave," Karzai was quoted as saying.

Guardian said Karzai did not name Pakistan, but he has also been a strong critic of that country, which has been accused of providing sanctuaries for the Taliban.

"There will not be peace in Afghanistan by having an agreement only between us and the Afghan Taliban," Karzai was quoted as saying. "Peace will only come when the external elements involved in creating instability and fighting, or lawlessness in Afghanistan, are involved in talks."

Pakistan's recent release of Taliban detainees, however, has been welcomed in Kabul.

Karzai said Britain's role is "highly valued" in the effort to bring Afghanistan and Pakistan closer together.

The Guardian said there is still much instability in Afghanistan, and that its security forces face a tough challenge from the Taliban.

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