Voice of America cites the Atlantic Council for cohosting an event with Afghan presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah:
Outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s administration accuses Pakistan’s military spy agency, the ISI, of trying to disrupt the presidential election. His National Security Council last week went further, alleging that a Pakistan-based Islamist group, with perceived links to the ISI, plotted the recent assassination attempt on front-runner presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah that left more than a dozen people dead.
However, speaking via Skype at an event hosted by the Washington-based Atlantic Council and Center for American Progress Thursday, Abdullah took a conciliatory tone, saying if elected he would want to have “good neighborly” relations with Pakistan and seek its cooperation in dealing with the threat of terrorism.
“Today, one harsh reality is that both countries are faced with the same challenge (of terrorism) and it is in the interest of both countries to deal with it with a genuine spirit of good neighborly relations. So, we are very much looking forward to a better future for our people rather than living in the perceptions of the past,” said Abdullah.