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Karzai wants to talk to the enemy

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is greeted by Afghan President Hamid Karzai prior to a meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, a day ahead of the International Conference on Afghanistan, July 19, 2010. UPI/Musadeq Sadeq/Pool
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is greeted by Afghan President Hamid Karzai prior to a meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, a day ahead of the International Conference on Afghanistan, July 19, 2010. UPI/Musadeq Sadeq/Pool | License Photo

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 20 (UPI) -- The Kabul government hopes those who oppose peace will understand that reconciliation is for the benefit of the state, the Afghan president said Tuesday.

Kabul hosted delegates from more than 70 countries in its first international conference on political stability.

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai during his opening statement Tuesday called on the international community to rise "above the din of the battle" and embrace the common goal of building "a peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan."

U.S.-led forces said one of their primary goals of their revised counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan was to build a self-reliant Afghan security force.

Karzai told delegates that he was committed to building a national security force that would be responsible for all security operations in the country by 2014.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed the president's sentiments in his statements Tuesday by saying Kabul had the vision needed to shape its own future.

"Slowly but greatly, surely, the government has expanded its capacity and scope of governance," he said.

Part of the effort to bring peace to Afghanistan comes from a reconciliation and reintegration plan outlined by Karzai during a May visit to Washington. Karzai told delegates that reconciliation meant talking to the enemy.

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"We hope those who have taken arms against our country will see the wisdom of pursuing their legitimate aspirations through peaceful means," he said.

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