US envoy on recent peace pact between Pakistan and Taliban

(18 Apr 2009) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, walking into news conference 2. Cutaway of audience 3. Wide of media conference 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan: "The actual agreement has been variously interpreted, you're absolutely correct, and you're correct in saying the West has been negative on it, and I have shared that scepticism, to be quite frank. The (Pakistani) government has explained their point of view and all I can say is that it will depend on what happens next." 5. Cutaway of audience 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan: "It's no secret that perhaps the international community had its favourites in previous elections, but we are neither supporting nor opposing any candidate this time out, and that includes the President of Afghanistan, if he chooses to run for re-election, as seems very probable." 6. Wide of Holbrooke at podium STORYLINE: The US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, openly criticised on Saturday Pakistan's recent peace pact with the Taliban. Holbrooke was speaking in Tokyo, where he was attending the international donor conference for Pakistan. Last Monday, Pakistan's president signed a regulation to put a northwestern district under Islamic law as part of a peace deal with the Taliban, giving his approval after coming under intense pressure from members of his own party and other lawmakers. Asif Ali Zardari's signature was a major victory for Islamic militants, who have been fighting against the police and the army in the Swat Valley for nearly two years, and demanding a new justice system. US and other Western allies worry that the valley will turn into a sanctuary for militants close to Afghanistan. Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Tokyo before flying back to Washington, Holbrooke said he was sceptical about whether Zardari's decision would turn out to be a positive one. Pakistan's imposition of Islamic law to blunt the gathering Taliban rebellion will protect militants accused of brutal killings from prosecution, a hardline cleric who mediated the peace plan said on Tuesday. Lawmakers made clear they believed the deal should go ahead, saying it would bring calm to the area after months of bloodshed that killed hundreds of people and displaced up to one-third of the valley's 1.5 million (m) residents. Even without the president's approval, judges trained in Islamic law had begun hearing cases in Swat, and witnesses say Taliban fighters are in effective control of much of the region. Critics say the agreement is a surrender to extremists whose tactics include beheading opponents and burning girls' schools. Holbrooke also commented on the upcoming to the August presidential election in Afghanistan, saying that Washington was "neither supporting or opposing any candidate this time out" including the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai "if he chooses to run for re-election as seems very probable." Holbrooke visited Afghanistan prior to his stop in Tokyo and said he had won agreement from the major Afghan political figures that Karzai should remain in office during the interim period. But even keeping Karzai in office during that holding period leaves the impression among some Afghans that the Obama administration is promoting his candidacy. The U.S. and Japan started off the one-day conference by pledging one (b) billion each while Saudi Arabia added 700 (m) million and the European Union 640 (m) million US dollars. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...