Special Dispatch No.2902
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Rejects Former UN Representative Kai Eide's Statement That He Held Talks With the Taliban, Calls Eide's Tenure A Failure, Says That Eide's 'Irresponsible Remarks... Are Part of the Massive Propaganda Campaign Launched by the White House Recently to Ensure the Success of the Military Strategy of [President] Obama
On March 19, 2010, Kai Eide, who recently stepped down as the United Nation's Special Representative to Afghanistan, strongly criticized Pakistan for its recent arrest of top Taliban leaders. Disclosing that he had held talks with senior Taliban representatives in recent months, Eide said that Pakistan's arrests of Taliban leaders has now shut down channels of communication with the Taliban.[1]
In recent weeks, Pakistan has confirmed the arrests of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Taliban's Supreme Commander for Afghanistan and deputy of Taliban leader Mullah Omar.[2] Several other key Taliban leaders have also been arrested in Pakistan, including Haji Salam aka Mullah Abdul Salam, the Taliban-era governor of Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province, and Mullah Mohammad, the governor of Afghanistan's Baghlan province during the Taliban regime.[3]
Kai Eide's criticism of Pakistan's arrests of Taliban leaders was also followed by a statement from the office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The presidential press office issued a statement saying that the arrests of the high-ranking Taliban leaders in Pakistan have had a negative impact on the ongoing peace process in Afghanistan.[4]
On March 22, the website of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Taliban's shadow government, responded to Kai Eide's statement titled "Response of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Regarding the Remarks of Former UN Envoy to Afghanistan"; in it, the Taliban denied that it had participated in any secret talks with the UN, saying: "The Islamic of Emirate of Afghanistan does not believe in any political surreptitious contacts nor has it had such contacts."
Following is the text of the Taliban statement:[5]
"This Jihad Will Continue Against the Americans and Their Allies Until the Unconditional Withdrawal of Their Invading Forces From Afghanistan"
"Kai Eide... told the media during his remarks that he had held secret meetings with some high-ranking members of the Islamic Emirate in order to proceed with the peace process.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, while believing in fruitful and result-oriented efforts for the establishment of a true peace in the country aimed at ending the illegitimate war imposed on Afghanistan... categorically refutes the irresponsible remarks of Kei Eide and elucidates its stance as follows:
"1. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has declared jihad against the invading foreign forces in order to defend the sovereignty of Afghanistan and establish an Islamic system on the basis of the aspirations of the people of Afghanistan. This jihad will continue against the Americans and their Allies until the unconditional withdrawal of their invading forces from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate has put forward this unambiguous demand before the UN and other circles involved in the Afghan issue and will continue to do so.
"The Islamic of Emirate of Afghanistan does not believe in any political surreptitious contacts nor has it had such contacts."
"Propaganda Launched Against... Mullah Baradar Akhund, Allegedly Involving Him in These Meetings, Has No Basis; This Is an Enemy Effort to Create Mistrust Among Mujahideen"
"2. Some baseless propaganda is underway, claiming that a delegation of the Islamic Emirate had participated in meetings held in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Maldives and now as per their claim, have met with Kai Eide. The Islamic Emirate refutes these allegations and clearly declares that delegations of the Islamic Emirate have not participated in these meetings.
"Similarly, the propaganda launched against the esteemed Deputy Emir of the Islamic Emirate, Mullah Baradar Akhund, allegedly involving him in these meetings has no basis. No one can produce evidence to indicate his participation. This is an enemy effort to create mistrust among Mujahideen. If some irresponsible persons presumably participated in the said meetings in the name of the Islamic Emirate, they can't be considered as representatives of the Islamic Emirate but it might have happened that some opportunists cashed in on the moribund condition of the enemy.
"3. The Americans are striving to resort to various measures aimed at thwarting this legitimate jihad; they have not spared to use the world body of the United Nations in this regard, even they have utilized the universal calibre of the world body against the Islamic Emirate for political and propaganda purposes from day one."
"Kai Eide Faced Failure During His Tenure"; "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Reminds the Rulers of the White House To... Withdraw Their Invading Forces From Afghanistan Unconditionally"
"4. Kai Eide faced failure during his tenure as envoy of the United Nations because of his partial stand and was ultimately forced to leave his job. His recent remarks are ostensibly efforts to hide his failures and his claims... [are] baseless and unfounded.
"5. In the view of the Islamic Emirate, the irresponsible remarks of Kai Eide are part of the massive propaganda campaign launched by the White House recently to ensure the success of the military strategy of [U.S. President Barack] Obama. But in practical terms, the strategy has faced fiasco. Now efforts are underway to portray it as successful, through propaganda drives.
"6. The Islamic Emirate closely watches all American conspiracies and efforts against the mujahid people of Afghanistan, and have contemplated certain measures and actions to foil these conspiracies with the help of Allah and our Muslim nation.
"7. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan reminds the rulers of the White House to accept the demands of the Islamic Emirate, instead of resorting to meaningless efforts, and to withdraw their invading forces from Afghanistan unconditionally.
"You have tried during the past eight years to experiment [with] some failed strategies. Now try this strategy of exit - it will bring positive results for you and for the entire region."
Endnotes:
[1] www.bbc.co.uk, UK, March 19, 2010.
[2] www.nation.com.pk, Pakistan, February 17, 2010.
[3] Roznama Ummat, Pakistan, February 18, 2010.
[4] Wrazpanra Weesa, Afghanistan, March 22, 2010.
[5] www.alemarah.info, Afghanistan, March 22, 2010. The original English text has been lightly edited for clarity.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) explores the Middle East through the region's media (both print and television), websites, religious sermons and school books. MEMRI bridges the language gap which exists between the West and the Middle East, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashtu, Dari, Hindi, and Turkish media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends in the Middle East.
