(28 Dec 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Set up news conference Afghan President Hamid Karzai
2. Cutaway of media
3. Close up of journalist taking notes
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Hamid Karzai, Afghan President:
"I don't think it is practical to lay mines and for the mines then to prevent terrorism crossing over the border into Afghanistan. It is going to be a very difficult task. Secondly, mines will not prevent the crossing over the border into Afghanistan by terrorism, by militants who come and kill our people and kill the helpers from the international community to the Afghan people."
5. Wide of news conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hamid Karzai, Afghan President
"If we want to prevent terrorism from crossing the borders into Afghanistan, if we want to prevent terrorism as a whole for ever, eradicate them, defeat them, then we must remove their sanctuaries, then we must remove the places where they get training, their sources of finances and equipment and training."
7. Cutaway of media
8. Karzai leaves news conference
STORYLINE
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday weighed into the debate surrounding Pakistan's plan to use landmines along parts of its border with Afghanistan.
At a news conference in Kabul, Karzai told reporters he didn't think such a plan was practical and that "mines will not prevent the crossing over the border into Afghanistan by terrorism."
"If we want to prevent the terrorism as a whole for ever, eradicate them, defeat them, then we must remove their sanctuaries, then we must remove the places where they get training, their sources of finances and equipment and training," Karzai said.
Pakistan on Tuesday said it would plant landmines and build a fence on parts of its 2,430-kilometre (1,510-mile) frontier with Afghanistan to fend off criticism it does too little to stop Taliban and al-Qaida guerrillas from crossing the border.
On Wednesday United Nations officials criticised Pakistan's plan saying it would add to civilian casualties in a region already littered with ordnance.
Afghanistan is one of the world's countries worst affected by landmines that have killed and maimed thousands of its civilians during the past quarter-century of wars.
The frontier region is inhabited on both sides by Pashtun tribespeople who travel freely across the border.
Taliban-led insurgents have stepped up attacks in Afghanistan over the past year, triggering the worst violence since the hardline regime was ousted with US help five years ago and threatening the shaky rule of Karzai, the nation's first popularly elected president.
Relations have been souring between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are key US allies in its "war on terror".
Afghan and Western officials contend militants operate from sanctuaries in Pakistan, but the Islamabad government insists it does all it can to stop them.
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