By KUNA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday expressed determined support for Afghanistan and its fight against Taliban militias, and he also said France would double its aid to Afghans in the 2008-2010 period.
Speaking at the opening of the international conference here, the French leader said that aid to Afghanistan would be multiplied by two to USD 165 million over the next two years.
Sarkozy blasted the Taliban insurgency and practices by members of the militias and he said they had “taken hostage” Afghanistan.
He said they were the “negation of even the values of Islam.” Islam has nothing to do with this band of terrorists who have taken Afghanistan hostage,” he affirmed.
Sarkozy also said that it was “a duty” to support the government of Hamid Karzai and that it was impossible to “disassociate” the security and reconstruction missions being carried out there.
“What is at stake here is the future of an Islam of peace and an Islam of tolerance and this goes beyond Afghanistan alone,” he remarked.
He committed France, which will soon have 2,300 troops in Afghanistan, to staying the course “as long as that is necessary to win.” He also said that there should be an effort to better coordinate international efforts to support Afghan economic development.