Britain in Afghanistan for long haul

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 20 (UPI) -- Britain plans a long-term commitment to the future of Afghanistan, the new British ambassador said.

"It's a marathon rather than a sprint. We should be thinking in terms of decades," said Sherard Cowper-Coles, who assumed his post last month after serving as Britain's ambassador to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Cowper-Coles said Britain's commitment does not necessarily mean that British soldiers will be in Afghanistan for decades, the Guardian reported Wednesday.

"We're not (talking) about a long-term military presence but we are serious about a long-term development presence," he said, "because this country does matter to us and to the region in so many ways."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been heavily criticized for the number of civilians killed by foreign troops, including seven children who died in a U.S. airstrike Sunday.

Cowper-Coles insisted, however, the majority of Afghan people want foreign forces to remain to prevent the Taliban from regaining power.