Afghanistan pledges to fight corruption

Afghanistan has pledged to step up its fight against corruption in return for international support after foreign forces withdraw in 2014. The promise came at the end of a one-day global conference in the German city of Bonn on Afghanistan's future. The security situation is the focus of the talks. The attendees have vowed to stand by Afghanistan in the 10 years after NATO's withdrawal. The closing communique of the Bonn conference on Afghanistan says substantial progress has been made since the last conference 10 years ago. It includes a commitment from the international community to stand by Afghanistan in the 10 years after NATO's withdraw - in exchange for good governance. It says Afghanistan's national security institutions are increasingly able to assume responsibility for a secure and independent Afghanistan. Guido Westerwelle, German Foreign Minister, said, "And today the international community sends a clear message to the people of Afghanistan: we will not abandon you, we stay at your side." Afghan foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul says "no-one in the international community wants Afghanistan to revert back to its recent dark days." Zalmai Rassoul said, "Today we have heard from our neighbors, partners and friends in our region and the international community a sound commitment of strong support and assistance for Afghanistan during our transformation decade between 2015 and 2024." The communique stresses that "shortcomings must be addressed". The goal is to create a peaceful Afghanistan "in which international terrorism does not again find sanctuary and that can assume its rightful place among sovereign nations". About 100 countries and international organisations were represented among the 1,000 delegates, including some 60 foreign ministers. But key player and neighbor Pakistan boycotted the talks. Islamabad has been angered by a NATO air attack on a border checkpoint last month that killed 24 of its soldiers.