Iran A Friendly, Brotherly Neighbor of Afghanistan: Karzai

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 25, 2002

Iran A Friendly, Brotherly Neighbor of Afghanistan: Karzai

The head of interim government of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai said Sunday in Tehran that Iran is a friendly and brotherly neighbor of Afghanistan.

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The head of interim government of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai said Sunday in Tehran that Iran is a friendly and brotherly neighbor of Afghanistan.

After meeting with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, Karzai told reporters that Afghanistan has full confidence in Iran's role in helping Afghan people, both before and after the war.

Karzai said Iran has contributed a lot in helping Afghan nation fight Taliban regime, terrorism as well as resist foreign invasions, noting that Iran's assistance had virtually rescued Afghan people from very dangerous situation.

Karzai stressed that Iran's role in helping restore Afghanistan's stability and shoring up security is "extremely important," adding the country has showed goodwill and brotherly feeling to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Afghan leader urged all parties involved in Afghanistan's reconstruction to get rid of confrontation, but to cooperate with each other for Afghanistan's sake.

For his part, President Khatami said Iran has recognized the Afghan interim government from the beginning and feels duty-bound to strengthen it.

"We have always been standing by the Afghan people and against their oppressors," Khatami said, stressing that Iran will continue this policy.

The Iranian president said that Islamic republic has never thought of interfering in Afghanistan's internal affairs, adding Iran would be glad to see an independent government, progressive people and a developed nation in Afghanistan.

Khatami expressed hope that Karzai's trip to Iran would turn a new page in constructive, beneficial and effective bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Karzai, heading a high-ranking government delegation, arrived here Sunday for talks on bilateral relations and Iran's role in reconstruction of the war-torn country.

The three-day visit to Iran is Karzai's first since he assumed the leadership after the fall of the Afghan Taliban regime.

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