Blair Meets Afghan Leader over Reconstruction Efforts

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 06, 2003

Blair Meets Afghan Leader over Reconstruction Efforts

British Prime Minister Tony Blair held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in London on Thursday, pledging Britain's commitment to the reconstruction efforts in the troubled country.

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair held talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in London on Thursday, pledging Britain's commitment to the reconstruction efforts in the troubled country.

"The prime minister stated the UK's long-standing commitment toAfghanistan, including the provision of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance and helping President Karzai's efforts to tackle the drugs trade," local reports quoted Blair's spokesmanas saying.

At Thursday's meeting, Karzai briefed Blair and British ForeignSecretary Jack Straw on the progress made toward setting up a permanent government, Blair's spokesman said.

"We had a very nice meeting. We discussed lots of things of political importance," Karzai told reporters as he left the Downing Street. It's his second trip to Britain since taking office.

Earlier Thursday, Karzai met with Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon and Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Blunkett said the two had held constructive talks on returning failed asylum seekers to Afghanistan. "I am grateful to the Afghangovernment for their cooperation on the enforced return of those who have no legal right to be in the UK and do not have protectionor humanitarian needs," the home secretary said.

Karzai is to meet Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, west ofLondon, on Friday before giving a lecture on reconstruction in Afghanistan at St Antony's College, Oxford.

The British government is expected to send 50 to 70 military personnel to help rebuilding Afghanistan's northern capital of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Afghanistan is thought to be one of the world's leading opium exporters, and its farmers supply 90 percent of the heroin that hits Britain's streets.

Britain has played a leading role in the counter-narcotics campaign to stop Afghan farmers cultivating poppies, local analysts say.

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