Karzai: Afghanistan to stand with Pakistan if attacked by U.S.

President Hamid Karzai has said that Afghanistan will stand with Pakistan if attacked by the United States, and the remarks may help ease tension with Islamabad but could annoy Washington, local media reported on Saturday. "God forbids if anytime war erupts between Pakistan and the United States, we will standby Pakistan," Karzai told Pakistani Geo television in an interview, parts of which were aired Saturday evening. The full interview, conducted at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, will be telecast later. "If Pakistan is attacked and if the people of Pakistan needs Afghanistan's help, Afghanistan would be there with you," Mr Karzai told the Pakistani anchor. "We are your brother as Pakistan has given us shelter (during the 1997-89 occupation of Afghanistan by former Soviet Union), as Pakistan considered us brother and gave homes and we spent time in Pakistan with respect as refugees," he said. Asked if India attacked Pakistan what will be Afghanistan's response, the president said, "Anybody that attacks Pakistan, Afghanistan will stand with Pakistan. Afghanistan will be a brother of Pakistan. Afghanistan will never betray a brother," he said. He complained that Pakistani establishment has done a lot to Afghanistan but he said "Afghanistan is still a brother." Karzai made surprising comments amid sharply increased tension between Pakistan and the United States after top American military officials threatened unilateral military action against Pakistan- based Afghan insurgent groups including the Haqqani network. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday said the United States has no plan to launch ground offensive in Pakistan but urged Islamabad to act within "days and weeks" to "squeeze" the Haqqani network and other armed factions that launch cross-border attacks into Afghanistan. President Karzai also dispelled the impression that Afghanistan and India signed the strategic partnership agreement in view of the worsen relations of his country with Pakistan after the last month assassination of Afghan peace envoy Prof. Burhanuddin Rabbani. "Now, our relation with India, our signing of the strategic partnership with India, it did not happen at the spur of the moment. This is something that we have been working on for years now," the Afghan president said. "But the visit (to New Delhi) was not after these troubles that took place. It was planned long, long before," Karzai insisted. Karzai said the tensions between the United States and Pakistan had not had an impact on Kabul's attitude towards Islamabad. "You know that we have had this engagement with Pakistan for a long time and if it comes to a brother-to-brother relationship, you'll find that Afghanistan will be there with you in times of difficulty," he said. The Afghan president, however, said there was "pain" in Afghanistan over Pakistan's dealing with his country. "Please, brother, stop using all methods that hurt us and are now hurting you. Let's engage from a different platform, a platform in which the two brothers only progress towards a better future in peace and harmony. And Afghanistan will be with you," he said. Karzai said his country's policies towards Pakistan would not be dictated by any country, including the United States and India, adding, "Afghanistan has its own policy, its own stand, its own clear view of things and from that point of view, it's dealing with our brothers in Pakistan."