Karzai Criticizes Extra-Legal Groups In Afghanistan

President Hamid Karzai gives an oath to members of the new parliament in Kabul last month.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai today criticized what he called "parallel structures" operating outside the law in Afghanistan, such as foreign aid organizations and private security firms.

He told an international conference in Munich that such structures weaken the state's efforts to assume security and governance for the country.

Karzai also announced a handover date for when Afghan security forces would begin to take control of the country. He named March 21, the first day of the New Year in Afghanistan and throughout the region.

Karzai said some foreign-run private institutions do more harm than good for Afghanistan.

"The parallel structures are there in order to help Afghanistan … in order to help Afghanistan's improved governance. Unfortunately, the real effect of that is in reverse of the objectives," he said.

Karzai said in the coming year he intends to focus on the “drivers of corruption" by enforcing laws and working out land-management programs as part of his goal to take over full security in the country by 2014.

compiled from agency reports