Allies won't abandon Afghanistan

The new unity government led by Afghanistan's new President Ashraf Ghani met with the support of its allies on Thursday during an international conference in London that focused on promoting civil society, reducing corruption and pushing for political reform in Afghanistan.

Even as US and NATO troops return home after 13 years of war that ousted the Taliban government, the United States and other nations, including Pakistan, pledged their continued assistance to Kabul.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the unity government of Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah had taken major steps to promote security since taking office in September.

"We are confident that the policies outlined today by President Ghani and CEO Abdullah will result in a more stable and prosperous Afghanistan," Kerry said in remarks at the start of the conference. "This is an extraordinary moment of transition and the possibilities are so enormous."

He added that he wanted to see a "strong and prosperous" Afghanistan be a "powerhouse" in the region. "We'll continue clearly to invest in Afghanistan's growth," Kerry said. The US has provided some $8 billion (6.4 billion euros) in aid to Afghanistan over the past four years. Some 90 percent of the Afghan budget is provided by foreign assistance.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who co-hosted the one-day conference with Ghani, told Afghans, "We are with you every step of the way."

Ghani: History will not be repeated

In the country's first democratic transfer of power, Ghani and former presidential rival Abdullah formed a power-sharing government that took over from former president Hamid Karzai. Even after months of wrangling, Ghani has not yet been able to present a stable cabinet.

"Let our friends celebrate, let our detractors note that history will not be repeated, that we have overcome the past, we face the future with full unity and with confidence," Ghani told delegates from more than 60 countries. "We ask all our partners and neighbors to stand with us, because no country is a fortress."

He added that Afghanistan hoped it would no longer require direct combat aid as "the last thing we want is more war - peace is a top priority for us." Ghani has, however, signed security agreements with the United States and NATO to allow troops to remain in the country. Some 12,000 foreign soldiers are expected to remain in Afghanistan until 2017.

Attacks cause for concern

An increase in attacks by the Taliban and other militant groups has some observers concerned the Afghan army could collapse if foreign troops completely leave the country. Two American soldiers and two British embassy workers were killed in separate attacks last week, and dozens of Afghans were also killed and injured.

Relations with neighboring Pakistan were of particular interest to conference delegates.

While Karzai often accused Pakistani leaders of tolerating a Taliban presence in their country as long as attacks only occurred in Afghanistan, Pakistan has said Afghanistan needs to make greater efforts to patrol its side of the border. Last month, however, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said during a meeting with Ghani that Pakistan would support the Afghan leadership and attempt to broker a peace deal between the Taliban and Kabul.

In London, Sharif said the meeting marked a "historic new beginning" for the two countries and that Pakistan would remain "in strong solidarity with the people of Afghanistan."

sms/jr (AP/dpa/Reuters)