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| Afghan army 'needs years of help' | Afghan army 'needs years of help' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Afghanistan could need foreign support for its security forces for up to 15 years, President Hamid Karzai has told the BBC, as key talks open in London. | Afghanistan could need foreign support for its security forces for up to 15 years, President Hamid Karzai has told the BBC, as key talks open in London. |
| Mr Karzai is in Britain for a one-day summit on the future of Afghanistan, where a possible offer of talks with moderate Taliban is high on the agenda. | Mr Karzai is in Britain for a one-day summit on the future of Afghanistan, where a possible offer of talks with moderate Taliban is high on the agenda. |
| He is also set to unveil detailed plans on tackling corruption in the country. | He is also set to unveil detailed plans on tackling corruption in the country. |
| Foreign ministers from 70 nations are expected to give renewed momentum to nation-building in Afghanistan. | Foreign ministers from 70 nations are expected to give renewed momentum to nation-building in Afghanistan. |
| Opening the conference, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was a "decisive time" for the future of Afghanistan. | Opening the conference, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was a "decisive time" for the future of Afghanistan. |
| "By the middle of next year, we have to turn the tide in the fight against the insurgency," Mr Brown said. | |
| 'Financially able' | 'Financially able' |
| The talks are being hosted by the UK, UN and the Afghan government. | The talks are being hosted by the UK, UN and the Afghan government. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Speaking to the BBC before the talks got under way, Mr Karzai said: "With regard to training and equipping the Afghan security forces, five to 10 years will be enough," Mr Karzai said. | Speaking to the BBC before the talks got under way, Mr Karzai said: "With regard to training and equipping the Afghan security forces, five to 10 years will be enough," Mr Karzai said. |
| "With regard to sustaining them until Afghanistan is financially able to provide for our forces, the time may be extended to 10 to 15 years." | "With regard to sustaining them until Afghanistan is financially able to provide for our forces, the time may be extended to 10 to 15 years." |
| Donor countries are expected to set up a fund to help lure Taliban members back into Afghan society. | Donor countries are expected to set up a fund to help lure Taliban members back into Afghan society. |
| What will happen at the conference? | What will happen at the conference? |
| But Mr Brown told the BBC any effort to reintegrate insurgents could work only if Afghanistan's own army and police were strong enough to take charge of security from international forces | But Mr Brown told the BBC any effort to reintegrate insurgents could work only if Afghanistan's own army and police were strong enough to take charge of security from international forces |
| "The first thing is to strengthen the Afghan forces, and then to weaken the Taliban by dividing them," he said. | "The first thing is to strengthen the Afghan forces, and then to weaken the Taliban by dividing them," he said. |
| "You cannot have a situation where you are making advances to those people who are prepared to renounce violence and join the democratic process and say they will have nothing more to do with the activities they have been involved with in the past unless you have a strong Afghan army and police." | "You cannot have a situation where you are making advances to those people who are prepared to renounce violence and join the democratic process and say they will have nothing more to do with the activities they have been involved with in the past unless you have a strong Afghan army and police." |
| Mr Karzai has won general support for his plan to reintegrate, but Western nations are expected to ask for more details on the strategy at the summit. | Mr Karzai has won general support for his plan to reintegrate, but Western nations are expected to ask for more details on the strategy at the summit. |
| The proposed fund would help reintegrate defecting foot soldiers with the promises of jobs, cash and protection. | The proposed fund would help reintegrate defecting foot soldiers with the promises of jobs, cash and protection. |
| The Taliban responded to news of the conference with a statement saying that no talks would be possible until foreign forces had left Afghanistan. | The Taliban responded to news of the conference with a statement saying that no talks would be possible until foreign forces had left Afghanistan. |
| Anti-corruption drive | Anti-corruption drive |
| The BBC has also learned that President Karzai is going to produce detailed proposals on how to tackle corruption in Afghanistan. | The BBC has also learned that President Karzai is going to produce detailed proposals on how to tackle corruption in Afghanistan. |
| A recent UN survey found that corruption is seen by ordinary Afghans as the biggest problem in the country. It has also been a long-standing concern with Afghanistan's Western backers. | A recent UN survey found that corruption is seen by ordinary Afghans as the biggest problem in the country. It has also been a long-standing concern with Afghanistan's Western backers. |
| The BBC's Martha Kearney, in Kabul, says there has been scepticism about the president's political will to tackle corruption. | The BBC's Martha Kearney, in Kabul, says there has been scepticism about the president's political will to tackle corruption. |
| One of the most significant proposals is the creation of an external watchdog composed of anti-corruption experts from around the world. | One of the most significant proposals is the creation of an external watchdog composed of anti-corruption experts from around the world. |
| Hard fighting ahead | Hard fighting ahead |
| BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the timing of the London conference is critical. | BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the timing of the London conference is critical. |
| According to most military analysts the Taliban is riding high, but the US surge in forces is under way and weeks and months of hard fighting lie ahead, our correspondent says. | According to most military analysts the Taliban is riding high, but the US surge in forces is under way and weeks and months of hard fighting lie ahead, our correspondent says. |
| Have Your Say If we give cash to the Taliban our government will probably be funding the weapons used against our troops Sandra, Kirkdale Read your comments | Have Your Say If we give cash to the Taliban our government will probably be funding the weapons used against our troops Sandra, Kirkdale Read your comments |
| More work will be done on bolstering Afghanistan's own security forces, as well as setting goals on development and governance and a renewed emphasis on setting Afghanistan's problems in a wider regional framework. | More work will be done on bolstering Afghanistan's own security forces, as well as setting goals on development and governance and a renewed emphasis on setting Afghanistan's problems in a wider regional framework. |
| A follow-up conference will be held in Kabul in a few months. | A follow-up conference will be held in Kabul in a few months. |
| Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has named a long-serving UN diplomat, Staffan de Mistura, as his new representative in Afghanistan. | Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has named a long-serving UN diplomat, Staffan de Mistura, as his new representative in Afghanistan. |
| Mr De Mistura, who holds Swedish and Italian nationalities, will replace the outgoing head of the UN mission in Kabul, Kai Eide, when he steps down in March. | Mr De Mistura, who holds Swedish and Italian nationalities, will replace the outgoing head of the UN mission in Kabul, Kai Eide, when he steps down in March. |
| Mr Eide was accused by a colleague of being too close to President Karzai and his government, and of downplaying fraud during presidential elections last year. Mr Eide always denied the allegations. | Mr Eide was accused by a colleague of being too close to President Karzai and his government, and of downplaying fraud during presidential elections last year. Mr Eide always denied the allegations. |