Karzai Specifies Top Priorities of Transitional Administration

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 15, 2002

Karzai Specifies Top Priorities of Transitional Administration

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Economic reconstruction and fighting against terrorism, warlords and corruption will be the top priorities of the Afghan Transitional Administration, newly-elected Afghan transitional leader Hamid Karzai said Friday.

Karzai, who won by a landslide in Thursday's election in the Emergency Loya Jirga, made these remarks at a press conference held in the presidential palace after delivering a brief acceptance speech to the Loya Jirga delegates.

He took the economic reconstruction as one of the top priorities of the 18-month transitional government, which will lead the country until general elections in 2004, and urged the donor countries to translate pledges into concrete assistance.

"The level of aids received is minimal compared with the level of aids promised," said Karzai, "I want to go with my thanks to the international society to ask for stronger, more effective and speedy delivery of aids to Afghanistan."

He reiterated his strong commitment to fighting against terrorism in the country, in which the Taliban regime and the Al-Quaeda network had taken root for several years.

"This fight will go on with the same strong manner as that in the last six months," said Karzai, "we must go to fight against terrorism until an absolute end."

Concerning the powerful warlords around the war-torn country, He pledged to save the Afghan people out of the terror, hunger andoppression caused by the warlords.

"The Afghan people want to get rid of warlords and guns. We will do everything to bring a strong and effective government to the Afghan people. That's my mandate. I believe the legitimacy that I have is because of that and I will do it," said Karzai, whose victory in the election could be partially attributed to thesupport from the Northern Alliance in the election.

He took the building of the Afghan National Army, which will recruit some 60,000 troops from different ethnic groups and acrossthe country under the assistance of the international society, as the main instrument to disarm the warlords.

"Concretely we are going to begin to raise the national army ofAfghanistan. As we raise the national army, we will be reducing the warlords," said the newly-elected transitional leader, adding that the goal could not be achieved overnight.

He also showed his determination to fight against corruption in the transitional administration.

"We will not only continue to improve the structure of the administration to make it more efficient, but we will also work relentlessly against corruption," said Karzai, who appeared much tougher after the suspense-free election. "This is an area in which I will be as determined as to fight against terrorism."

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