Advertisement

U.S. hopes to improve relations with Afghan leader

Share

The Obama administration moved with some unease Monday to recalibrate its relationship with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, who not long ago likened the U.S.-led coalition in his country to an invading force.

Karzai is visiting Washington this week with two dozen or more senior members of his government in tow, and the two sides are struggling to forgive, if not forget, mutual hard feelings. He was invited to take part in a working dinner Monday night with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at Blair House, the official state guest house.

On Tuesday, he has more meetings at the State Department, followed by an Oval Office visit with President Obama and a joint news conference the following day. Though Karzai is getting the courtesies accorded a valued ally, the difficulties haven’t quite dissolved.

Appearing in the White House press room, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, and the top Western military commander there, U.S. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, strained to portray the Karzai government as a trusted ally.

Asked whether he considered Karzai an “adequate strategic partner,” Eikenberry hesitated and then sidestepped the question.

“President Karzai is the — is the elected president of Afghanistan,” the ambassador said. “Afghanistan is a close friend and ally, and of course I highly respect President Karzai in that capacity.”

Last year, leaked cables to Washington indicated that Eikenberry at the time did not believe Karzai to be “an adequate strategic partner.”

But the White House now seems determined to repair the relationship. Publicly, the U.S. wants to use the visit as an opportunity to “show some respect” and convince Karzai that the White House will be more supportive, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In private meetings this week, administration aides said they will discuss with Karzai how best to root out corruption, strengthen his government and assimilate members of the Taliban willing to disarm and embrace the Afghan Constitution.

Amid the diplomacy, fighting continued in Afghanistan, where the North Atlantic Treaty Organization reported that an allied helicopter was hit by hostile fire Monday in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province. Officials said the MH-60 helicopter made a “controlled landing” and that all crew members were returned safely to base.

peter.nicholas@latimes.com

Times staff writer Julian E. Barnes contributed to this report.

Advertisement