Our core objective is to defeat Al Qaeda and ensure it never returns
WASHINGTON - The designation of the Haqqani network as a terrorist organization would have no impact on Afghan reconciliation efforts, US officials said on Friday, hoping the peace process would remain unaffected.
"We don't anticipate this designation will have any impact on reconciliation efforts. Those continue to go on in an unabated manner," a senior administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the decision.
"Our core objective is to defeat Al Qaeda and ensure it never returns, and our policy in Afghanistan, as you well know, is fight, talk, and build, which is focused not only on putting military pressure but also seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict," the official said.
He added since the statute did not prohibit meetings or dialogue with members of a designated entity, so it did not prevent talks at some future date.
However, he explained, reconciliation remained a key component of the US strategy and the safe passage working group's meeting was part of that policy. US Special Envoy Marc Grossman would embark on a trip at some point to continue to pursue it a robust manner, he continued.
"All those efforts, as we have said for a long time, to get Afghans to speak with other Afghans about the future of their own country are continuing through many different channels," he said.
Senior administration officials said the network could be taken off the list if it renounced violence and ceased terrorist operations. "We have a very clear set of criteria for getting off the list, and there are a number of different ways it can happen.
"I think the key thing is that they have to renounce violence, cease terrorist operations and demonstrate that they no longer have the intent or capability to carry out violent attacks," said one official, who did not want to be named.
Meanwhile, lawmakers welcomed the designation, which they said was long overdue. "This is a terrorist organization and an enemy of the United States, and I urge Pakistan to redouble its efforts to eliminate the Haqqani threat," said Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Congressman Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, was pleased that Clinton had finally announced her intention to designate the outfit as terrorist. "This is a critical step that clears the path for the US to begin to put a choke hold on the network's finances."
Congressman Howard Buck McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the Haqqani network had long contributed to instability in Afghanistan and the region, continued to collaborate with Al Qaeda, and had the blood of American troops on their hands.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairperson of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, hailed the administration's decision as a welcome move. "It should not have required Congress to spur the administration into making this decision." (Pajhwok)