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Afghan conference in Bonn as Nato troops eye exit Hamid Karzai makes plea at Afghanistan summit in Bonn
(about 3 hours later)
A major international conference on Afghanistan's future is due to open in the German city of Bonn on Monday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said international support after foreign forces withdraw in 2014 is crucial if Afghanistan is to remain stable.
His comments opened a major global conference on Afghanistan's future in the German city of Bonn.
It comes 10 years after a similar gathering held in the city, weeks after the Taliban fell from power.It comes 10 years after a similar gathering held in the city, weeks after the Taliban fell from power.
Organisers want to bolster long-term international engagement with Afghanistan and support efforts to restore security.
But key player Pakistan is boycotting the talks in protest at a Nato attack on a border checkpoint last month.But key player Pakistan is boycotting the talks in protest at a Nato attack on a border checkpoint last month.
Nato apologised for the air strike on 26 November in which 24 Pakistani troops were killed. Nato apologised for the air strike on 26 November in which 24 Pakistani troops were killed and on Sunday US President Barack Obama also offered his condolences, but Pakistan has insisted that it will not reverse its decision on the talks.
The US and other Western nations have long suspected Pakistan of harbouring the Taliban and other insurgent groups, including the Haqqani network, blamed for attacks on the Afghan side of the border. President Karzai hailed the progress Afghanistan has made in the decade since the last conference, but warned that such gains were by no means secure. He said the conference presented an opportunity for Afghanistan to consolidate its gains.
Taliban talks? "The people of Afghanistan are looking to this conference for clear affirmation of commitment to make security transition and economic progress irreversible," he said.
Many observers regard a long-term commitment to Afghanistan as critical, as most Western forces prepare to leave the country by 2014. He added that the country does not want to be a burden on the international community for a day longer than necessary, but said that support would be needed for at least another decade.
About 1,000 delegates from 100 countries and international organisations are taking part in Monday's gathering. Foreign 'sanctuaries'
The president also made pointed reference to what he called the "problem of sanctuaries [for terrorists] outside Afghanistan," which he said remain unaddressed and posed a threat to the security of the wider region and the world.
Analysts say that Pakistan is crucial if any progress is to be made on negotiating a long-term peace with the Taliban - a goal that President Karzai said he remained committed to.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is among some dozens of senior ministers in attendance. Afghan and US officials have repeatedly said that militant groups operating in Afghanistan are based in Pakistan - a charge Pakistan denies.
Much of the worst fighting in the decade-long conflict takes place in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border. About 1,000 delegates from 100 countries and international organisations are taking part in Monday's gathering. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is among some dozens of senior ministers in attendance.
More than 500 Nato troops have been killed so far this year in Afghanistan. Many observers regard a long-term international commitment to Afghanistan as critical, as most Western forces prepare to leave the country by 2014.
There are likely to be a several key issues on the agenda but the among the most pressing of these is the thorny problem of reconciliation with the Taliban and the cost of rebuilding Afghanistan beyond 2014.
Estimates say that about £4.5bn a year is needed by 2020 if the country is to stay at current levels of development.
More than 500 Nato troops have been killed so far this year in Afghanistan. Much of the worst fighting in the decade-long conflict takes place in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border.
"Our objective is a peaceful Afghanistan that will never again become a safe haven for international terrorism," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said."Our objective is a peaceful Afghanistan that will never again become a safe haven for international terrorism," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said.
Former UN envoy to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi says he argued 10 years ago in favour of immediate moves towards dialogue with the Taliban - which were ousted by the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.Former UN envoy to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi says he argued 10 years ago in favour of immediate moves towards dialogue with the Taliban - which were ousted by the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
Mr Brahimi told the BBC: "We should have tried to find out where they had gone and what they were thinking and if they were interested perhaps to see if we can make room for them."Mr Brahimi told the BBC: "We should have tried to find out where they had gone and what they were thinking and if they were interested perhaps to see if we can make room for them."
Taliban talks
Efforts to launch talks with the Taliban are under way, but have brought no tangible result so far.Efforts to launch talks with the Taliban are under way, but have brought no tangible result so far.
Reconciliation efforts suffered a major setback in September, with the assassination of former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was leading Kabul's effort to broker peace with the insurgents.Reconciliation efforts suffered a major setback in September, with the assassination of former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was leading Kabul's effort to broker peace with the insurgents.
"Right now we don't know their address. We don't have a door, to knock on," Afghanistan's ambassador to the US, Eklil Hakimi, told AP news agency."Right now we don't know their address. We don't have a door, to knock on," Afghanistan's ambassador to the US, Eklil Hakimi, told AP news agency.
The US and other Western nations have long suspected Pakistan of harbouring the Taliban and other insurgent groups, including the Haqqani network, blamed for attacks on the Afghan side of the border.
Nevertheless analysts say that Pakistan is crucial if any progress is to be made on negotiating a long-term peace with the Taliban.
Correspondents say that a failure to bring the Tailban into the peace process will make it harder to secure the long-term commitments needed to rebuild Afghanistan when Nato operations end in 2014.