Miliband, Kouchner meet Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband and France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, on Friday, a day after his inauguration to a second term.Karzai and Miliband were both present during the inauguration ceremony on Thursday, along with other dignitaries.Miliband and other Western diplomats said Karzai is on the right track in his inauguration speech with an announcement of a new anti-graft unit. He called the speech a very strong, substantial statement.Others, however, said the speech gave no indication of any major shifts despite growing pressure from Western allies whose troops are fighting to defend his government.Miliband and Karzai discussed bilateral issues at the start of Karzai's second five-year term. Britain has around 9,000 troops fighting insurgents in Afghanistan, mostly in southern Helmand province. Karzai also met with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Kouchner said a week ago that Europe and the US must work together more closely on coordinating their operations in Afghanistan and plans for the country, adding that no one dreamed of withdrawing from Afghanistan immediately.France has roughly 3,000 troops in the country. The Afghan president's inauguration comes against the backdrop of an ever more deadly Taliban insurgency, doubts over his legitimacy after the tainted election, and demands from Western donors he address rampant corruption and mismanagement.