Presidential Palace, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, met this morning at the Presidential Palace with General James Jones, the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, made a one day trip to Gardez, Paktiya province today and visited the provincial Teacher Training Institute, and the 203rd Afghan National Army Corps.

The Tripartite Commission, composed of senior military and diplomatic representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States, held its eleventh meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan today. It was Afghanistan’s turn to host the latest periodic exchange of the commission.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is saddened by the news of an explosion in Takhar province yesterday that left five Afghans killed, 2 ISAF soldiers missing and four others, including 3 Afghans and one ISAF soldier wounded.

The explosion occurred near an airfield in Rustaq district of Takhar province when a sizable store of ammunition was being segregated and prepared for future destruction.

In his reaction to the news, the president said: “I am deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. The ISAF and the Afghan workers lost their lives in the service of Afghanistan, and the Afghan people remain grateful to them for their sacrifice. I present my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wish prompt recovery to the injured.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan noted, with deep regret, the recent remarks by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.

H.E Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, congratulates Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for being elected as the President of Iran today.

KABUL – The Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr. A. Abdullah, attended the G8 Foreign Minister’s session on Afghanistan in London on June 23, 2005. The G8 Ministers congratulated the Afghan people and Government for the “remarkable progress” achieved since the Bonn Agreement of December 2001.

We the Foreign Ministers of the G8, met today with Foreign Minster Abdullah of Afghanistan. We congratulate the Government of Afghanistan and the Afghan people on the remarkable progress they have achieved since the Bonn Agreement of December 2001. We warmly welcome the prospect of Parliamentary and Provincial elections on 18 September 2005, as a further important step towards democracy. These elections will mark a successful conclusion to the formal Bonn Process, but not the end of the international community’s commitment to Afghanistan.

Presidential Palace, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, chaired a meeting today of the joint Afghan and International group working on the reform of the Afghan National Police.

Presidential Palace, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, received a phone call yesterday afternoon from H.E. Pervez Musharraf, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The two Presidents discussed measures of improved cooperation related to security and the common fight against terrorism issues.

Both Presidents assured continued support and co-operation in the fight against terrorism and agreed to strengthen engagement and cooperation in the security area between the two Governments.

Presidential Palace, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, met this morning at the Presidential Palace with General John Abizaid, Commander of the US Central Command.

The Ministry of Interior has seized almost three metric tons of drugs and almost one ton of chemicals within the last four days in Bamyan and Nangarhar provinces.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, joined in Sher Khan Port, Kunduz, by H.E. Imam Ali Rahmanov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, inaugurated the construction work of the Sher Khan Port-Panjdh Payan bridge on Amu River linking Afghanistan and Tajiksitan. The President later left for Dushanbe on a one day working visit to Tajikistan.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is extremely pleased to hear that Clementina Cantoni, the Kabul-based Italian employee of CARE International, has been released from custody of her hostage-takers this evening. The President is happy that Ms Cantoni, who was taken hostage by a gang of criminals in Kabul on 17 May 2005 and remained in custody since then, will return to her family, friends and colleagues in good health.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, met this afternoon at the Presidential Palace with H.E. Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo, the Deputy Secretary General of NATO.

H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan strongly condemned the suicide attack at the mourning ceremony of Late Mawlawi Abdullah Fayaz and called it an act of cowardice by the enemies of Islam and the enemies of the peace of Afghan people.