International community pledges $18bn to Afghanistan

Afghani President Hamid Karzai on Thursday said the international community had pledged $18 billion in assistance to Afghanistan, vowing that his administration would do its best to use the aid in a proper way, Pajhwok Afghan News reported. Karzai said his country is happy with the great international support, noting that it is a good opportunity to direct expenses at the benefit of the Afghani people. He also called on the international community to help the war-torn nation in fighting corruption alongside the government and its institutions. In a related development, invited Taliban movement to renounce fighting, open an office in Kabul as an official opposition party and take part in elections. "To the armed opposition of Afghanistan ... I ask [Taliban leader] Mullah Omar, if he is not working for others, if he is an Afghan, to come to Afghanistan and talk to us," Karzai said, adding that "the foreigners are leaving, so come and talk to us. Political parties can have their offices and say what they want about the government. Put down your guns and open an office." Taliban has previously rejected overtures for peace and conditioned any negotiations with the withdrawal of the NATO forces from Afghanistan, which is unacceptable both for the Afghani government and the international forces.