Afghan donors conference opens

by UK Independent (reposted)

Tue, Jan 31, 2006 9:30AM

Staff and agencies
Tuesday January 31, 2006

Tony Blair shakes hands with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, during the opening speeches at the special donors conference in London. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, said today that his country has made "great strides towards peace, stability and democracy" at the opening of a special donors conference in London.

"We owe our success to the resilience and unfailing determination of the Afghan people as well as the generous support of the international community. Together, we have achieved much," Mr Karzai told representatives from nearly 70 nations and international bodies.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,,1698949,00.html

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§ Afghanistan struggle concerns us all, says Blair

by UK Independent (reposted)

Tue, Jan 31, 2006 9:30AM

Tony Blair today pledged Britain would stand firm alongside the people of Afghanistan in their struggle "for freedom and for moderation and for democracy".

Opening a two-day international conference on Afghanistan in London, the Prime Minister said defeating the forces of extremism, fanaticism and drug crime in Afghanistan was vital not only for the people of the Asian state but for the entire international community.

The war to topple the Taliban and the ongoing struggle against insurgence in the country was a result of the international community's reaction to the September 11 terrorist outrages in the US, said Mr Blair.

Addressing Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the Lancaster House summit, Mr Blair said: "That's why this is a struggle that, of course, primarily concerns the Afghan people, but it is also a struggle that concerns all of us.

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http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/article342217.ece

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