“We expressed our congratulations to President Karzai but now it is necessary to go forward with reforms”. Minister Frattini commented on the re-election of Karzai as President of Afghanistan after the cancellation of the run-off elections. “We are now asking the president and the government”, he added, “for a concrete plan for the Afghan people. The international community and Italy will stand by the president’s side”.
Karzai, in turn, has promised an “inclusive government in which no Afghan will feel left out”, and the “eradication of corruption”. He then made an appeal to his “Taliban brothers” to put down their weapons and participate in bringing peace to the country, “with the assistance and cooperation of the international community”.