 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Kabul (AFP) Dec 3, 2010 Afghan government officials on Friday hit back at "stupid" allegations made in leaked US diplomatic cables about corruption but refused to comment on a damning assessment of President Hamid Karzai. Deputy presidential spokesman Hamed Elmi downplayed documents released by Internet whistleblower WikiLeaks as "not much new," with "nothing substantive to negatively affect our good relations with the international community". In one cable, US envoy Karl Eikenberry portrayed Karzai as "paranoid and weak," "unfamiliar with the basics of nation building" and "overly self-conscious" that his time of glowing reviews from the West had passed. The Afghan presidency declined to comment those allegations. Deputy spokesman Simak Hirawi said Karzai would hold a news conference on Saturday "to answer journalists' questions". One cable said that Ahmad Zia Massoud -- a first vice president until last year -- was caught entering the United Arab Emirates with 52 million dollars. Another presidential aide told AFP: "This is a stupid allegation. Can you believe someone could take 52 million dollars and transfer it in a plane to another country? Can you believe it is possible?" Washington has made no secret of its frustrations with corruption in Afghanistan, where 140,000 US-led NATO troops are fighting against a nine-year Taliban insurgency now in its deadliest phase. Elmi said Kabul had stepped up its fight against corruption and branded details in the leaks as "from years ago".
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links News From Across The Stans
US soldier gets nine months in Afghan caseJoint Base Lewis-Mcchord, Washington (AFP) Dec 1, 2010 A US soldier was sentenced to nine months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to shooting at Afghan civilians. Staff Sergeant Robert Stevens, 25, also was demoted to the rank of private but was spared discharge from the military under the sentence handed down in the first court martial linked to a rogue army unit alleged to have killed Afghans for sport. Stevens pleaded guilty to f ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook
