BERLIN, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder pledged sustained support in Afghanistan after a Thursday meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Schroeder said countries that turn away from terrorism deserve to be supported for their decision, according to a Die Welt report.
Blair assured Germans that both the United Kingdom and the United States value German contributions in Afghanistan. He said since Afghanistan had been a center of international terrorism, the German commitment to keeping the country peaceful and stable is important to coalition forces in Iraq.
Germany will host its third "Afghan conference" in March, to discuss the country's future.
The Financial Times Deutschland reported U.S. officials expressed doubts about the necessity of a third conference since Afghanistan is due to have elections in June, but the United Nations pressed for the meeting.
Germany's first Afghan conference in 2001 agreed on plans for a transitional government to follow the Taliban regime. Its second conference established the basis for an Afghan army and evaluated Afghan progress.
