International
We will stand by you: Blair
BAGRAM, (AFGHANISTAN), JAN. 8. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, visited Afghanistan and promised its war-weary people the world would not abandon them again.
Speaking at Bagram airbase north of Kabul yesterday, Mr. Blair said the world had learned how high a price was paid for neglect. ``Afghanistan has been a failed state for too long and the whole world has paid the price - in the export of terror, the export of drugs and finally in the explosion in death and destruction on the streets of the U.S.,'' he told a news conference.
Mr. Blair was the first western head of government to visit Kabul since the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11. He said ``extraordinary progress'' had been achieved by the U.S.-led war against the Taliban regime that harboured Osama Bin laden, suspected of ordering the attacks.
``We are always on the side of the Afghan people against the Taliban,'' he said. ''And we remain on the side of the Afghan people today.''
They were met at the airport by Hamid Karzai, leader of Afghanistan's interim Government. Mr. Blair praised British troops leading the U.N.-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul.
Around 500 British troops are engaged in peacekeeping in Kabul alongside local forces and troops from the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Canada.
The full ISAF force is expected to eventually number 4,500 troops from up to 16 nations. Britain has said a total of 1,500 of its troops will be deployed.
Mr. Blair has been one of U.S. President, George Bush's staunchest allies in the war against terror declared by Washington after September 11.
Months of relentless air raids and ground operations by Afghan fighters and western special forces, have destroyed the Taliban regime and severely damaged Osama's al-Qaeda network based in Afghanistan.
But America's two most wanted men, Osama himself and Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, remain at large.
Mr. Blair said the destruction of the Taliban had opened up vast possibilities for Afghanistan to regain stability.
- Reuters
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