The Telegraph, UK09/17/2003By [Printer Friendly Version]
Afghan president Hamid Karzai is to address this year's Labour Party Conference. Mr Karzai, Afghanistan's first leader since the removal of the Taliban regime in 2001, will be the key international speaker at the Bournemouth conference later this month.
Labour party chairman Ian McCartney said: "We are absolutely delighted that President Karzai has accepted our invitation to address conference.
"His country is emerging from long years of war and needs the help of the world to build a secure and democratic future.
"Afghanistan still faces many problems but President Karzai's visit will be a symbol of the friendship between our two countries and of our commitment to help the people of Afghanistan."
Mr Karzai's address will come at the end of a tour of the US, Canada and Britain aimed at getting Afghanistan back at the top of the international agenda after it was pushed out of the spotlight by the war in Iraq.
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