US to stay in Afghanistan for a long term: Powell

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 18, 2004

US to stay in Afghanistan for a long term: Powell

The United States would stay in the post-war Afghanistan for a long term to help rebuild the country, visiting US Secretary of States Colin Powell said in Kabul Wednesday.

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The United States would stay in the post-war Afghanistan for a long term to help rebuild the country, visiting US Secretary of States Colin Powell said in Kabul Wednesday.

At a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai,Powell categorically stressed that the people and the government of the United States were committed to standing firmly alongside Afghans to recover their country from the war aftermath.

"Question that is arisen in the course of my visit this morning is 'will the United States be here for a long term', the answer is 'yes'", said Powell.

"We are committed to this, American people are committed to this, Congress is committed to this and President Bush is committed," he added.

The US top diplomat, who earlier exchanged views with President Karzai on the upcoming general elections, war on terror and reconstruction, pointed out that Washington was looking forward toworking with Afghan government in every sphere to rebuild the country.

"We are looking forward to help you in building up Afghan National Army, Police force and building up of political institutions and every thing possible. So the Afghan people know that international community and the United States stand firmly with the Afghan people as they move forward," he said.

The United States, as a leading nation in rebuilding Afghanistan, would make a substantial pledge in the two-day Berlin conference at the end of March, he added.

Playing down Taliban remnants as a threat to stability, Powell said, "we do every thing to bring the country together."

He also lauded Pakistan's military operation along the border with Afghanistan by saying "we hope they continue to do that and Pakistan not to allow these tribal areas to be used as a haven for the Taliban to cause problem in Afghanistan."

He reiterated Washington's support to the war on terror in Afghanistan.

For his part, Karzai assured that the fight against terrorism will continue with full swing in Afghanistan and his government will spare no efforts to eradicate the menace.

"Afghanistan will stay firmly with the government of Pakistan in fight against terror and we are willing to extend every kind of cooperation in this connection," Karzai said when asked to commenton Pakistan's newly launched anti-terror sweep along the border.

This is Powell's third visit to the war-ravaged country. He is due to proceed to Pakistan later in the evening.

Powell arrived here Wednesday morning from India as part of his five-day three-nation South Asia tour.

Source: Xinhua

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