KABUL, March 27: Afghanistan welcomed on Friday a US strategy to fight extremism announced by President Barack Obama, especially its focus on the Al Qaeda threat from Pakistan and a push to build the Afghan security forces.

“We welcome the statement issued by President Obama and we agree with the contents of his speech,” President Hamid Karzai’s chief spokesman, Homayun Hamidzada, said.

“We particularly appreciate the recognition that the Al Qaeda threat mainly emanates from Pakistan and it poses a danger to Afghanistan and our international friends here,” he said.

The US president said in his long-awaited review that Al Qaeda was actively planning attacks on the United States from its safe havens in Pakistan and vowed to “disrupt, dismantle and defeat” Osama bin Laden’s group.

This was an “important focus on the Afghan security forces so they could take increasingly charge as the international support eventually will taper off,” Hamidzada said.

The Afghan spokesman also said his government was committed to fighting corruption which Obama had warned he would not ignore and “causes Afghans to lose faith in their own leaders”.

“We are committed to continue our effort in promoting good governance, fighting corruption and providing service to the Afghan people, the obligations we have as an elected government,” Hamidzada said.

On Obama’s proposal for the setting up of a new contact group on Afghanistan including Iran to tackle the bloody insurgency, Hamidzada said: “We have all along said that Iran is an important partner.

“They have helped the people and government of Afghanistan in their effort on rebuilding and reconstruction. Any improvement in the relationship between Iran and the US will only be beneficial.”—AFP
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