Diplomatic efforts to secure Afghanistan's future gathered pace today after the United States promised to finish its job of eliminating the last remnants of al-Qaeda and the Taliban from the country.
As UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan began a two-day visit to Iran designed to shore up Tehran's backing for the rebuilding of its neighbour, interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai was preparing for a crucial trip to Washington next week.
Mr Karzai is due to meet US President George W. Bush at the White House on Monday for talks on the next stage in Afghanistan's planned transition to stable government.
His trip follows a fresh pledge by Washington to finish the job it started 15 weeks ago by going after pockets of al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters believed to be regrouping in remote corners of Afghanistan.
Karzai's interim government also faces the threat of instability arising from infighting among the warlords who helped US forces rout the Taliban late last year.
Increased reports of factional clashes in recent days have fuelled increased calls for the international security presence in Afghanistan to be expanded beyond Kabul, where a British-led force is expected to number 4,500 by mid February.
UN officials have suggested as many as 30,000 troops could be needed to stabilise the whole country.
Karzai has, however, played down this week's incidents as minor skirmishes rather than a serious threat to his government's hold on the country.
AFP