Obama, Karzai reaffirm transition by 2014
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E-mail Xinhua, March 17, 2012
U.S. President Barack Obama called his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on Friday, discussing the process of transition, reaffirming the timetable that will see the transition to Afghan-led security to be completed by 2014, according to the White House.
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| Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (R) meets with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on March 15, 2012. Panetta paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday and visited southern Helmand province, an official said. [Xinhua/POOL] |
![Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (R) meets with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on March 15, 2012. Panetta paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday and visited southern Helmand province, an official said. [Xinhua/POOL]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20120317/000cf1bdd24510ce345207.jpg "Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai (R) meets with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on March 15, 2012. Panetta paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday and visited southern Helmand province, an official said. [Xinhua/POOL]")
In a statement, the White House said Obama called Karzai early Friday morning to offer his best wishes and congratulated Karzai on the birth of his daughter.
The two presidents took the opportunity to discuss the process of security transition which will see Afghans have full responsibility for security across the country by the end of 2014.
The statement is significant as Karzai told U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday that both sides "should work together for a security handover from international forces to Afghan troops to take place by 2013 instead of 2014," according to a statement from Karzai's office.
During the phone call, said the White House, Obama and Karzai "affirmed that they share the goal of building capable Afghan security forces and strengthening Afghan sovereignty so that Afghans are increasingly in charge of their own security, with the lead for combat operations shifting to Afghan forces, with U.S. forces in support, in 2013."
The two leaders also discussed Karzai's recent reiteration of his "long-standing concerns regarding night raids and house searches and recommitted to conclude ongoing negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding to resolve those concerns."
They also agreed to further discuss concerns voiced by Karzai about the presence of foreign troops in Afghan villages. Karzai has told Panetta that the U.S. should pull out its troops from Afghan villages, where they have military camps and outposts, and relocate them in their bases across the country.
Obama said he looks forward to welcoming Karzai to the NATO Summit in Chicago in May, where they, along with NATO partners, will "together define the next phase of transition."
The phone call was made as the two governments are trying to contain the fallout due to the recent shooting committed by a U.S. service member, resulting in the deaths of 16 Afghan civilians.
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