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Thursday, December 28, 2006
Afghan Leader Criticizes Pakistan For Plans To Mine Border
Afghanistan -- President Hamid Karzai speaks to journalists, during a press conference in Kabul, 3 Feb. 2006
Hamid Karzai (file photo)
(epa)
December 28, 2006 -- Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai today criticized Pakistan's decision to erect a fence and put land mines along the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Karzai said the move would only separate families and would not prevent terrorists from crossing back and forth.

"Planting land mines or putting up barbed wire will not stop terrorism, but it will bring about the separation of people, and Afghanistan is very much against it," Karzai said.

He also said Pakistani authorities would be better off removing training centers used by terrorists in Pakistan's tribal areas that border Afghanistan.

The United Nations has already criticized Pakistan's announced intention to put land mines along its border with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has not said when it would start constructing the fences and planting the mines along the border.

(Reuters, AP)

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