EU leaders have delivered their strongest backing yet for America's military offensive against terrorism.
A statement at the end of a Euro-summit in Ghent spoke of the "staunchest support" for the military measures.
It said the goal remained to eliminate the al-Qaida terrorist network of Osama bin Laden.
But they also watered down an original planned summit declaration which spoke of the eradication of the Taliban regime as a "legitimate objective" in the campaign.
Instead, the EU leaders focused on the future, promising to work with the United Nations towards the creation of a "stable, legitimate and representative government for the whole of the Afghan people - one which respects human rights and develops good relations with all neighbouring countries".
The declaration spoke of "total solidarity" with the United States, and "unequivocal" support for the action being taken.
After the summit British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "I welcome very much indeed the reaffirmation today of the EU's staunch support, not just in solidarity with the US, but also their staunch support for the military action that has followed.
"There was a unanimous view in the EU that we have to see this military action through to a successful conclusion."
The EU leaders had agreed to press ahead as a matter of urgency with legal changes to make extradition of terrorist suspects easier, said Mr Blair.
He said: "We reaffirmed our determination to take measures inside the EU in order to improve our judicial cooperation, in order to deal with some of the bureaucratic and legal obstacles to the proper functioning of exchanges between the EU countries in the way that we deal with terrorism."
PA