Medvedev praises new Afghan Parliament

MOSCOW, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in Moscow Friday he hopes Afghanistan's new Parliament will bring the nation together and restore Afghan statehood.

Medvedev said he expects the new Parliament will solve numerous problems in the war-torn region, RIA Novosti reported.

"We expect that the new Parliament will become an integral political body that on one hand will contribute to national reconciliation, consolidate all vital, patriotic forces of Afghanistan, and on the other hand will help the president continue along his course toward the restoration of full-fledged Afghan statehood," Medvedev said at a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Afghanistan's parliamentary elections took place on Sept. 18. The first session of the new Parliament was scheduled for Sunday but was postponed this week following a request by a group investigating alleged electoral violations.

"The president [Karzai] has informed me of the processes taking place in Afghanistan," Medvedev said. "We intend to further comply with all of our obligations aimed at supporting Afghanistan in this very uneasy task."

Medvedev said he hopes Afghanistan will eventually be able to assure its own security.

"I would like all international forces deployed in Afghanistan … to leave Afghanistan with honor and respect after they conclude their duties related to maintaining peace and security. This will be for the good of Afghanistan and the entire region, and therefore, of the Russian Federation."