Parliament to OK pacts; Khar due in Kabul this week

KABUL): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said recently signed strategic agreements with three European countries —France, Italy and the United Kingdom — would be sent to Parliament for approval.

Under Article 90 of the Constitution, the National Assembly, or Wolesi Jirga, is to ratify international treaties and agreements. During his just-concluded visit to Europe, Karzai signed the long-term strategic partnership pacts.

“These agreements will be sent to the National Assembly for approval but the exact date is yet to be asceratined,” foreign ministry spokesman Janan Musazai told a media briefing in Kabul. 

Afghanistan has also signed a strategic agreement with India, but Janan said noththing about its approval by the National Assembly.

The president was authorised to sign an agreement with any foreign country before approval from the lower house, which could approve or reject the accord, said Prof. Gul Rahman Qazi, head of the Independent Commission of Oversight and Implementation of Constitution (ICOIC).

Musazai also said the Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would arrive in Kabul on Wednesday (Feb. 1 ) for talks on the peace process with her Afghan counterpart Zalmay Rasul. She would also meet President Hamid Karzai, the spokesman added.  

“Pakistan insurgency with the visit of Hina Rabbani Khar,” he said. “Both sides will discuss the fight against terrorism and Pakistan’s essential support to the peace process in Afghanistan.”

The Taliban are said to have entered talks on confidence-building measures with US officials in Qatar, according to The New York Times, which reported the measures included a possible transfer of detained militants.

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