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Italy Reaffirms Continued Commitment to Afghanistan
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11/5/2012
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Italy Reaffirms Continued Commitment to Afghanistan
November 4, 2012 - President Hamid Karzai welcomed this noon the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who visited Afghanistan to see Italian troops and hold talks with President Karzai.
Following a bilateral meeting, the two leaders appeared at a joint press conference, where Prime Minister Monti reaffirmed his country’s continued commitment to Afghanistan beyond 2014 and pledged that Italy won’t leave Afghanistan alone. He said, “Italy will continue to assist the people of Afghanistan in institution building and economic cooperation.”
He said Italy will assist Afghanistan within the framework of the bilateral strategic cooperation agreement already signed between the two countries. He said the Italian military and civilian engagement in Afghanistan was for the cause of security and civic development for the people of Afghanistan.
Pointing to the upcoming Presidential elections in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Monti called it a new page that Afghanistan would open in the political life of its people
Prime Minister Monti said there were still challenges in Afghanistan, but he stressed would be addressed with continued international support.
Speaking in the same conference, President Karzai welcomed the Prime Minister to Kabul and thanked the Italian government and its people for all they have done to help Afghanistan especially in the past ten years. The President said the people of Afghanistan remained deeply grateful for the Italian contributions that have amounted over $ 500 million to Afghanistan.
In response to a question on the presence of two internationals in the Elections Complaints Commission, the President said, “in no country in the world that is independent and sovereign, exists a foreign presence in its domestic, electoral or government institutions. Afghanistan too is a sovereign country with a Constitution and can, just like other countries, handle its own political, social and economic affairs.”
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