Brown committed, but wants Afghan reform

LONDON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Friday based his commitment to the global fight in Afghanistan in part on reforms in the Kabul government.

Brown in a speech at the Royal College of Defense Studies said British national security depended on preventing terrorists from establishing a safe haven in Afghanistan.

"At present, the biggest domestic threat continues to come from the mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan, so it is right that our first line of defense is there," he said.

An investigation into the Aug. 20 presidential elections in Afghanistan found rampant fraud gave Karzai the clear majority needed for a victory. Discounting the fraudulent ballots put Karzai in a runoff against his former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Abdullah pulled out, however, citing his concerns over legitimacy. For his part, Brown conditioned his support on the legitimacy of the Afghan government of President Karzai.

"When President Karzai takes the oath of office for the second term later this month, I hope he will be able to set out his plans in detail," said Brown. "International support depends on the scale of his ambition and the degree of his achievement in five key areas: security, governance, reconciliation, economic development and relations with his neighbors."

He went on to note that, while no plan for Afghanistan is without risk, a responsible decision is one that remains committed to the fight.

"We cannot, must not and will not walk away," he said.