Karzai Says Taliban Chief Harmed Islam, Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai (file photo) (epa)
Karzai said Mullah Omar and his accomplices were involved in terrorism and would be chased all over Afghanistan.
Karzai said some 1,000 Taliban militants and other resistance fighters had reconciled with his government and that some had even won seats in the new parliament.
He also denied making any offer to Mullah Omar or other Taliban leaders to negotiate a peace deal.
Karzai also rejected a Pakistani proposal from last month to build a fence along parts of the Afghan-Pakistani border.
"Fences are built between hostile nations, not between brothers and friends, and if this is suggested [as a measure] to prevent terrorism this is not the way. Fences only split the nation," Karzai said. "There is one nation. We want to fight terrorism in the trrorists' camps, and in the places where money is given to hem."
Many militants launch attacks in Afghanistan and cross back to heir safe havens inside Pakistan.
(with material from dpa)
A Muslim woman (left) watches a Christian procession in Madrid in March (AFP)
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CONFERENCE ON ISLAM: A major international conference on Islam concluded in Vienna in November 2005 with strong appeals from prominent Muslim leaders to recognize international terrorism as simply "terrorism." Political figures from Islamic countries, including the presidents of Iraq and Afghanistan, argued that it should never be labeled "Islamic" or "Muslim" terrorism because Islam is based on peace, dialogue, and tolerance. "Salaam" -- meaning "peace" -- was the key word of the three-day conference, titled "
ISLAM IN A PLURALISTIC WORLD."
Iraqi President Jalal Talibani and Afghan President Hamid Karzai used the word in their remarks to emphasize the peaceful nature of Islam. Other speakers quoted passages from the Koran to the effect that all men and women, regardless of faith, are creatures of God and should live in peace with each other without discrimination
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Listen to Afghan President
HAMID KARZAI's complete address to the Vienna conference (in English):
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Listen to UN special envoy
LAKHDAR BRAHIMI's complete address to the Vienna conference (in English):
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