Monday November 9, 2009

Karzai seeks closer trade ties with Muslim nations

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai, re-elected a week ago after a flawed vote, appealed on Monday for closer trade ties with fellow Muslim countries to help Afghanistan break its cycle of conflict.

Karzai met representatives of eight governments, including Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the sidelines of an economic summit held by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Istanbul.

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai makes a speech at the COMCEC Economic Summit in Istanbul, November 9, 2009. (REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

"It is high time that Afghanistan begins to live a life of peace and prosperity," he told a breakfast meeting before the formal opening of the summit.

"Afghanistan's interest is primarily in having close brotherly relations with its neighbours, freedom of trade and transit, and an effective environment of cooperation."

Most trade with landlocked Afghanistan passes through the conflict-ridden border with Pakistan and through Iran.

The widespread fraud reported during the election and his chief rival's refusal to contest a run-off have damaged Karzai's credibility at the start of his second term.

Karzai was seen as a guarantor of Western aid when he was first elected in 2004 but his relations with the United States and other Western allies have become strained by allegations of corruption and misgovernment.

His popularity dwindled at home as ordinary Afghans increasingly believed they had failed to benefit from billions of dollars in aid and a growing Taliban insurgency contributed to their sense of insecurity.

Civilian casualties caused by Western forces backing Karzai's government added to their resentment.

Turkey has troops serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan and Gul sought to rally support for the mission to stabilise Afghanistan and eradicate groups such as al Qaeda.

"We are there to stop the threat of terrorism to the entire region and the world. We are there because Afghanistan cannot be allowed to become a safe haven for terrorists", the Turkish president said.

He said Afghanistan needed foreign military and economic support until the Afghans were able to assume their own security.

"We cannot stay in Afghanistan forever. A robust training and equipment programme will enable us to leave and our Afghan brothers to take over security fully," Gul said.

"As stakeholders in the region, we cannot expect that the United States and other Western powers solve the problems by themselves. We should shoulder our responsibilities."

Gul expressed support for Karzai's efforts to unite the country after the bitterly fought election.

"I am confident that the focus in the short term will be on the establishment as soon as possible of a government that would pull the country back together and embrace every corner of Afghanistan and every segment of Afghan society. This is urgently needed after a long election process."

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