Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who made a previously unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Saturday, has reaffirmed his country's commitment to the central Asian nation.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the capital Kabul, Rudd expressed confidence that lasting progress could be made in the country, despite what he called "significant security challenges".
"We are confident that in partnership with our friends, with our allies in the Afghan government and with our other allies…that we can continue to achieve real progress in the long-term security in this country."
On his first visit to Afghanistan since becoming prime minister, Rudd planned to visit some of the 900 troops Australia has deployed there under NATO's International Security Assistance Force.
Earlier, the Afghan president welcomed his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, who also made a surprise visit to discuss the political and military situation in the war-torn country.
France has 1,300 troops in the country as part of NATO's military force; mostly stationed in the Kabul region.
