Afghan President Asks Nato To Send Additional Troops Before September

ISTANBUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked NATO on Tuesday to send additional troops to Afghanistan urgently.
Addressing the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) held on the second day of NATO Istanbul Summit, Karzai welcomed NATO's decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan to enhance support to upcoming elections.
He stressed that Afghan people supported activities of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the international community.
''Afghan people wanted more support and more security forces since they had seen how successful ISAF had been in Kabul'', Karzai said.
Karzai stated that Afghan people were ready for elections and they wanted settlement of democracy and democratic institutions in their country. He asked NATO to send additional troops before September so that Afghan people could cast their votes freely.
Deployment of additional troops in Afghanistan before elections would help fair, free and secure elections, Karzai said.
Karzai pointed out that the main problems in his country was terrorism, special militia forces and illicit drug production.
(BRC-ULG) 29.06.2004