Agence France Presse

Kabul, May 28:

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is upbeat about his just-concluded visit to Washington, saying yesterday that his expectations had been exceeded with Afghan authorities gaining more influence over US military operations. “I got what we wanted. We’ve got more than what we expected,” Karzai told a press conference in Kabul. He was commenting on the so-called strategic partnership agreement which he signed with US President George W Bush on Monday. After at least 15 Afghans died in a wave of anti-US protests earlier this month sparked by the alleged abuse of the Koran at a US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Karzai said he had won greater control of US military operations and assurances that US soldiers would consult local officials more.

“No soldiers can go to people’s homes unless they have consulted the government. The people own this soil,” Karzai said. He also said the US would gradually hand over Afghan prisoners in US military detention, although no firm date had been set for their release.

“This cannot be done overnight. As our government’s strength improves and our prison facilities improve, the Americans will hand over prisoners.” Ahead of his meeting with the US, Karzai called for greater Afghan involvement in certain areas, including consultations with Afghan officials before US military operations. He also was seeking the release into Afghan custody of all Afghan prisoners in US military detention. He said he had condemned, directly to the US government, reports of US soldiers torturing Afghan prisoners.

Among the key points of the agreement was allowing US military forces operating in Afghanistan to have continued access to the key Bagram Air Base as well as to other military facilities as “may be mutually determined”. American access to these facilities was necessary for US forces to “help organise, train, equip, and sustain Afghan security forces” according to the joint declaration of the US-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership. Despite Karzai’s claims of greater Afghan government control, the wording of the declaration was vague. “The US and international coalition forces in performing, required military operations will have freedom of action based on consultations and pre-planned procedures,” it said. Karzai also said Afghanistan would continue to fight the battle against drugs but added: “Thinking that it will be done in one day is impossible”.