Afghanistan: Agreement to be signed after 2014 elections

President Hamid Karzai on Thursday said the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), even if approved by the consultative Loya Jirga and ratified by the parliament, would be signed after the 2014 presidential and provincial council elections were conducted. Addressing the Loya Jirga in Kabul, he said: “If you approve this agreement and the parliaments ratifies it, the US should be committed to BSA signing after the polls are held and the nation has started its journey toward peace…” The president added that no matter how the elections were held, he would be blamed by the powerful Americans and their Western allies. He needed support from the West and Afghanistan’s neighbours for successful and peaceful Afghan-led polls. He said Kabul and Washington had reached an agreement on all parts of the security deal except legal jurisdiction over the American forces staying in Afghanistan after 2014. “Our aims include strengthening and training of Afghan security forces, a halt to US operations in our villages and searches of civilian homes, protection of people and utilisation of US aid through Afghan institutions,” the president explained. “We want our army to be trained well; we don’t accept training only to the extent of survival. We want jetfighters and they give us dragonflies (useless aircraft). We demand tanks, they offer us pick-ups – vehicles that we can purchase on our own from Japan,” he remarked. He quoted President Barack Obama as saying in a letter today that the BSA would open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation in terms of Afghan forces’ training, respect for the country’s independence and counterterrorism efforts after 2014. “Whatever decision you take will be supported by the nation. Even people outside the country are waiting for the verdict of this august forum,” the president told the delegates, emphasising on them not to let anyone influence their conclusion.