Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will arrive in Kabul today for a two-day visit.

During the visit, Mr Bildt is expected to meet leading Afghan politicians including President Hamid Karzai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rangin Dadfar Spanta and former presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, as well as representatives of the international community. The aim is to follow up issues concerning the formation of a new government and the policy it intends to pursue, and to look at how the EU and the international community as a whole can best support Afghanistan.

This visit comes shortly after the conclusion of the drawn-out electoral process that has been ongoing since the election of 20 August, with Hamid Karzai having been appointed President for his second term of office at the beginning of November. It also comes two weeks after the EU adopted a plan for enhanced support to Afghanistan and Pakistan.