LEAD: Monti: Italy won't abandon Afghanistan

Jan 26, 2012, 16:54 GMT

Rome - Italy intends to continue supporting peace efforts in Afghanistan, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said after meeting Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Rome.

'Italy supports the Afghan government in the delicate reconciliation process with the armed insurgency,' Monti said, referring to Taliban militants who have begun talks with the Western-backed Karzai government.

'As long as it (the insurgency) reject violence, recognizes the (Afghan) constitution and respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan,' Monti said.

Karzai said he wished to thank Italy for the last '10 years,' in which Italian taxpayers' money had helped reconstruction efforts in his country.

He also invited the Italian premier, who took office in November, to visit Afghanistan,

During their hour-long meeting, the two leaders also signed an agreement pledging Italian cooperation and assistance to Afghanistan.

Italy currently deploys around 4,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission in the Asian nation.

'Italy won't abandon Afghanistan,' Monti said, adding that the 'central message' at Thursday's talks in Rome was that the 'partnership' with the country would continue beyond 2014, when Italian soldiers are scheduled to withdraw.

Rome is the first stop of a three-nation European tour for Karzai, who also plans to travel to Paris for talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and London, where is he is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister David Cameron.

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