Kabul: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Thursday that the international community will support the embattled Afghan government, but expects it to build up the country's defence forces, boost security and improve the lives of its impoverished people.
Hillary met at the heavily fortified US embassy with foreign ministers from about a dozen nations who are in the capital to attend the inauguration of Hamid Karzai, who won a second presidential term following an election marred by fraud.
She met with Karzai for about 90 minutes last night at the presidential palace.
"I think that there's a very clear understanding, on the part of not only President Karzai but his government, that results of this election have to be seen and felt in the lives of the people of Afghanistan," she said, sitting in a circle of chairs with diplomatic officials from Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Japan and a host of other nations.
She said the Karzai government understands the international community is "willing to support and encourage the next years of effort of the people and government of Afghanistan, but that we expect outcomes that deliver on security, the buildup of an Afghan national security force as well as a national police force, tangible benefits that flow to the people of Afghanistan and an accountable, transparent government - as far as that can be obtained - as well as a strong stand against corruption."
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 16:10