Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard C. Holbrooke echoed assurances by Secretaries Clinton and Gates that Afghan President Karzai is still a reliable partner to the U.S.
“There was a period where the waters got roiled a little bit, but that period is over,” he told gathered reporters in a State Department briefing on Monday.
The vote of confidence from the ambassador is the latest in a string of assurances from administration officials in advance of Karzai’s May 10th arrival in Washington. The White House had initiated the invitation, but threatened to cancel after the Afghan president’s inflammatory comments earlier this month.
But Ambassador Holbrooke says he was heartened by President Karzai’s attendance at last week’s Review of Concept Drill, an event hosted by Holbrooke and U.S. military commander for the Middle East General Petraeus, aimed at discussing civilian-military plans in Afghanistan. “It was a very important, symbolic statement that we have to move forward and focus on the future, and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
Holbrooke noted that the session that followed was the most substantive meeting he’s had with the Afghan president to date. “I base what I said on my personal observations and interactions with President Karzai,” he said. “It was a very serious, substantial meeting in which neither he nor we even mentioned these issues.”
In addition to his May 12th meeting at the White House, President Karzai is expected to attend State Department meetings with Afghan cabinet ministers and U.S. government officials. Holbrooke noted that tentative plans for the visit include an open forum to be co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Afghan president.
Asked what caused the tension in the first place, Holbrooke only responded, “I leave that for you to judge.”