Karzai says bin Laden still elusive

WASHINGTON - In the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the United States and its allies have essentially gotten nowhere lately, Afghan President Hamid Karzai says.

"We are not closer, we are not further away from it," Karzai said ahead of his two-day summit with President Bush at Camp David, Md. "We are where we were a few years ago."

Karzai ruled out that bin Laden was in Afghanistan, but otherwise said he did not know where the leader of the al-Qaeda terror network was likely hiding. Karzai's comments, in an interview on CNN's Late Edition, were taped Saturday in Kabul and broadcast yesterday.

Bin Laden is believed to be living in the tribal border region of Pakistan. His ability to avoid capture remains a major source of frustration for U.S.-led forces.

Karzai arrived at Camp David late yesterday afternoon, greeted by Bush and first lady Laura Bush. The president did a 360-degree spin in a golf cart for the assembled media, and drove the three of them away.

The Afghan leader's visit comes as he faces competing troubles at home - civilian killings by U.S. and NATO forces, surging opium production, and steady violence.

All of those matters are expected to be discussed with Bush.

Afghanistan's fragility remains of paramount concern to the United States. Bush is expected to prod Karzai on how his government can exert - and extend - its authority.

"Karzai wants to shore up his ties in Washington," said Teresita Schaffer, a former top State Department official for southern Asia. "And I think the U.S. government very much wants to get a stronger sense of how we can develop a common political strategy."

Despite its progress since U.S.-led forces toppled the militant Taliban regime in 2001, Afghanistan still is dominated by poverty and lawlessness. Stability has been hindered by the lack of government order, particularly in the southern part of the country.

"The security situation in Afghanistan over the past two years has definitely deteriorated," Karzai said in the interview. "There is no doubt about that."

Clouding the Bush-Karzai meeting is the fate of 21 South Korean volunteers who were abducted by the Taliban July 19 and are now believed to be in central Afghanistan. The captors took 23 people hostage, and have shot and killed two of them.

The Taliban is seeking the release of prisoners in exchange for the Koreans; the Afghan government has refused, and the United States adamantly opposes acceding to such demands. The crisis has put considerable pressure on Karzai, and raised more doubts about his ability to enforce the rule of law.

Bush and Karzai also are likely to discuss Afghanistan's distrustful relationship with neighboring Pakistan. Karzai said the flow of foreign fighters from Pakistan into his country is a concern he would address soon with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

The two are expected to meet this month as part of a gathering of tribal elders in Kabul.