Afghan Leader Calls for More Foreign Troops

Mon Feb 11, 8:10 AM ET

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s interim leader Hamid Karzai called Monday for more international peacekeepers to protect his fragile government from the challenges from tribal leaders.

"I receive daily delegations from all over Afghanistan. They all ask for security and peace more than education, health and development," Karzai told a conference in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

"Our people ask for an increased presence of international forces because they want to be sure of the commitment of the international community to peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said.

"They criticize us at times for not being tough enough on warlords."

Factional rivalry and tribal violence in parts of Afghanistan have posed serious challenges to Karzai's fragile new government which took office in December.

International peacekeeping troops were deployed in the capital Kabul after U.S. forces joined opposition Northern Alliance, the backbone of Karzai's government, to rout the Taliban and the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).

Karzai, who arrived in the UAE Sunday for a two-day visit, earlier reopened his country's embassy, closed after Abu Dhabi cut ties with Taliban in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States.

The UAE approved plans last month to reopen its embassy in Kabul and appointed its ambassador in Pakistan as a non-resident envoy in Kabul.

The Gulf Arab state has pledged up to $36 million in aid as part of global efforts to help rebuild Afghanistan.

Karzai said the Afghan central bank would open an office in UAE to receive international aid.

He said a main priority for his government was to encourage Afghan expatriates to help rebuild the country.

"We want very soon to stand on our own feet, to become a donor country, rather than a recipient country," Karzai said.