LONDON, Oct 8 (APP): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday warned of growing Taliban strength in Afghanistan and said greater efforts were required to stop them from endangering the rest of the world.
Speaking at his monthly press conference at Downing Street this afternoon, he said Afghanistan was in the frontline against Taliban and the whole civilised world would be in danger if Taliban takes over the country again.
Brown said more than 40 countries were engaged in the land-locked country attempting to thwart the danger posed by the Taliban and to bring peace and development in Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan has an important role in the whole scenario but its borders with Afghanistan were difficult. Asked to comment on the presidential elections in Pakistan, he said it was country’s internal affairs.
However, he said UK would like to see liberal and democratic forces team up together against militants and extremists.
On Iran, he said the country’s nuclear efforts cannot go unchallenged and it must adhere to the international demands to curb its capability.
He said Iran needs to be challenged diplomatically, while urging that country to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
The British Prime Minister said UK was very serious over Iran’s ambition to manufacture nuclear weapons or increase its nuclear capabilities. He added that Iran was breaching international protocols and the resolutions passed by the UN Security Council.
On the domestic front, he defend his decision of not calling the national elections which many observers thought he intended to hold next month.” I did considered holding the elections but then decided I wanted more time to set my vision of modern Britain with more emphasis and changes to health, housing and education.”
He was at pains to explain that his decision not to call general elections even in 2008 was not due to the opinion polls that put the opposition Conservatives Party in lead at the conclusion of its annual party conference in Blackpool last week.
Brown said the ruling Labour Party has a long term agenda which calls for meeting the rising aspirations of the people.