MPs 'disappointed' by Karzai claim

The Commons International Development Committee said they were "disappointed" by Afghan president Hamid Karzai's criticisms of British military operations, after he claimed last month they had made the situation in the country worse.

The committee said it would take at least a generation to develop Afghanistan but abandoning the country would pose a significant risks to global security.

Malcolm Bruce, the committee's Liberal Democrat chairman, said: "We are concerned about the recent deterioration in political relations between the Government of Afghanistan and the UK.

"We recognise that the civilian and military effort is entirely dependent on the goodwill of the government and people of Afghanistan.

"But there is a risk that the tone and timing of recent comments by the government of Afghanistan which are critical of the UK could undermine British public support for the UK's long-term commitment to Afghanistan."

The committee called for a greater co-ordination of aid efforts and said it was disappointed that the international community could not agree to have a high-level figure overseeing United Nations, European Union and Nato programmes.

"Criticisms by the Afghan government of the UK and the international community's efforts seem to be becoming more frequent," the report noted.

President Karzai last month rejected the appointment of Lord Ashdown to be the UN's special representative in the country.

The report was critical of progress in training the Afghan national police force, where "corruption and bribery are rife".