NATO wrong policies root cause of Afghan crisis: Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN, March 27 (MNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that the crisis engulfing Afghanistan has its roots in flawed policies that NATO has adopted in the country. Ahmadinejad made the remarks on Monday during a speech at the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, which opened in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on March 26 and closes on March 27. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon are also attending the conference. The U.S. delegation walked out of Ahmadinejad’s speech. In his speech, Ahmadinejad said that NATO member countries are seeking to extend their presence in war-ravaged Afghanistan because they intend to establish domination over the world. “They are seeking to establish domination over various lands, and the campaign against terrorism is nothing more than a pretext,” he stated. Ahmadinejad added, “NATO member countries, particularly the United States, should abandon their hostile policies toward nations, should respect the people, and should avoid belittling them.” “They should accept that the era of emperors has drawn to a close and that those who do not take a lesson from history are destined to be punished,” the Iranian president commented. NATO forces should leave Afghanistan as soon as possible, he said, adding, “The Afghan nation and government want to exercise their national sovereignty, and the issues of drugs and terrorism will be eradicated in Afghanistan if NATO forces leave (the country).” The Afghan people are themselves competent enough to run the country, Ahmadinejad stated. “If only 25 percent of the cost of NATO’s presence (in Afghanistan) or only 5 percent of military budgets of NATO member states were given to the Afghan government and people, the country could definitely experience a much better destiny,” he added. He went on to say that the Iranian nation, as a friend and brother, has stood and will stand by the Afghan people and will do everything in its power to help the country develop its infrastructure and make progress in various spheres. Iran also supports efforts to implement the agreements made during the conference, Ahmadinejad said, calling on regional countries to help Afghanistan prosper. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also delivered a speech at the conference on Monday in which he announced that the next Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan will be held in Tehran.