If corruption continues Afghanistan aid will be dropped

Calcutta News.Net
Sunday 15th November, 2009

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has told ABC News that Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai must do more to fight corruption from within.

Ms Clinton said the Afghan government will need to establish a major crimes tribunal and an anti-corruption commission if it wants continued civilian aid from Washington.

Considering last month's fraud-tainted elections, she said any anti-corruption declaration from Mr Karzai would need to include a no impunity clause for corrupt Afghan officials.

Any US civilian aid sent to Afghanistan would need to be handled by government ministries that can be held accountable, she said.

Ms Clinton told the ABC that Washington was only in Afghanistan to defeat al-Qaeda and had no long term plans to build a modern Afghan democracy.

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