Told you so.... Afghan party-poopers flounce out of the Bonn party:
Thursday December 6 3:34 AM ET
Two Powerful Afghan Leaders Criticize Bonn Accord
KABUL (Reuters) - Two powerful anti-Taliban leaders spoke out on Thursday against the landmark power-sharing agreement reached in Germany this week, with one saying he would boycott the new Afghan government.
Ethnic Uzbek warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum, whose forces dominate a swathe of northern territory including the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, told Reuters that his mainly Uzbek Junbish-i-Milli faction was not fairly represented under the accord signed in Bonn on Wednesday.
``We are very sad,'' Dostum said by satellite phone from the north. ``We announce our boycott of this government and will not go to Kabul until there is a proper government in place.''
Ethnic Pashtun spiritual leader Sayed Ahmad Gailani said the Bonn accord was ``unjust.''
``Injustices have been committed in the distribution of ministries,'' he told a news conference in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. ``Those who had an important role in the jihad (against Soviet occupation) have not been represented.''
Gailani did not specify which groups or individuals he had in mind.
``Although the new set-up is not so balanced, I still hope the United Nations (news - web sites) will form a committee on getting people together for a Loya Jirga (traditional assembly) so that in later steps things are settled,'' he said.
Gailani, who leads the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (news - web sites) and is a supporter of deposed King Zahir Shah, was represented at the nine-day conference in Bonn by his son Hamed Gailani.
Dostum, who could play a spoiling role that might deflate the initial euphoria over the Bonn accord, said he had demanded that the foreign ministry be allocated to his faction, which is part of the militarily dominant Northern Alliance.
Instead it got the portfolios of agriculture and mining and industry.
``This is a humiliation for us,'' he declared, adding that he would deny officials of the new government access to the north, where Afghanistan's oil and gas resources are located.
[...]
dailynews.yahoo.com
LOL! Hey, General Dostum! German Foreign Minister just buzzed me: under the revised Bonn agreement, the Tourism & Arts Ministry will be added to your portfolio!! Whereas your pal Gailani has been offered the Admiralship of the Afghan Navy... Fair enough?
BTW, it was to be expected that the Russkies would scoop the pool... Pakistan (Gailani) and Turkey (Dostum) have been swindled --so far.
Gus |
