Addressing the European Parliament on Tuesday, Karzai said European cooperation is ``improving lives and is the source of admiration across the world.''

``From Europe, we need support and assistance and the assurance that Afghanistan will continue to receive assistance in a sustainable manner. I hope you will see the need for multiyear pledges of aid to Afghanistan to support our efforts at rebuilding our country,'' he said.

``We also need the United States and the United Nations to reaffirm their commitment to partnership with Afghanistan.''

Karzai said drug production is still a major problem in Afghanistan, and called on the international community to help tackle it.

``Poppy cultivation and the drug economy are still afflicting our economies, and remain obstacles to Afghanistan's stability.''

During his visit to Europe, Karzai will also attend a NATO conference in Brussels, and meet with Belgian leaders.

NATO is currently expanding its security operations in support of Karzai's feeble government from the capital and the north of Afghanistan to the west, relieving the pressure on the separate U.S.-led force pursuing Taliban-led militants.

Karzai said it will be a long time before his country will be able to collect enough revenue to finance its own affairs.

``We're building everything from scratch,'' he said. ``It will take Afghanistan many years before it will be able to sustain itself.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign investment have flown into Afghanistan over the past three years, with the health sector, banks and mobile communications benefiting the most, Karzai said.