Vladimir Putin: Russia would like to see Afghanistan neutral, independent and prosperous

Vladimir Putin hopes that holding the national Afghani forum - Loya Jirga - will be the starting-point of establishing in Afghanistan society that will be "inclined to development and friendly contacts with its neighbours".

On Tuesday at a meeting with Head of Afghanistan's Interim Administration in Alma Ata (Kazakhstan) the Russian president hoped that Khamid Karzai would speak on the work of forming Loya Jirga. Moreover the Russian leader noted Karzai's role in ensuring a worthy representation of Afghanistan's all ethnic groups in Loya Jirga.

Russia would like to see Afghanistan "neutral, independent and prosperous", Putin underlined.

The Russian president also noted that he was glad to have a chance of meeting with the Afghani Head of Interim Administration and discussing the development of Russian-Afghani relations with him.

Khamid Karzai thanked the Russian president for his kind words that he had said in relation to Afghanistan during his speech at the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.