Saturday, June 16, 2012
Kabul (BNA) President Hamid Karzai telephoned French President Francois Hollande to express his condolences over the death of four and injury of five French soldiers in a suicide bombing in the province of Kapisa.
President Karzai told President Hollande that he also took up the issue and expressed his deepest sympathies earlier in a meeting with the visiting French Defense Minister.
President Karzai stressed that he too wishes just like France to finish in the soonest the transition in Kapisa of security responsibilities and informed President Hollande that he has instructed the Ministries of Defense and the Interior to render all possible cooperation in putting into place the French government’s decision to withdraw its troops from the province.
President Karzai once again thanked France for all its assistance and the reconstruction projects it has been undertaking in Afghanistan.
The President described the recent visit of the French President to Afghanistan as important step in further consolidating the bilateral relations.
Pointing out to the strategic cooperation treaty between the two countries, the President said, “the Afghan National Assembly will soon debate the treaty and we are confident that it will be passed as this is in the interest and the favors of the two countries.”
President Hollande thanked President Karzai for the call and for the expression of condolences and reaffirmed his country’s continued commitment and support to Afghanistan.