Date of Release: 14 September 2006

Arg, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, will leave for the United States of America to attend the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and to pay official visits to Ottawa, Canada, and Washington DC.

The President will address the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly on a wide range of issues related to Afghanistan.

In New York, the President will also attend the UNICEF high-level symposium “Reduce Child Mortality” and the Clinton Global Peace Initiative “Making Multiculturalism Work,” address the Asia Society, and visit the New York Stock Exchange. 

The President will hold bilateral meetings with heads of states from around the world attending the United Nations General Assembly.

After the United Nations General Assembly, the President will leave the US for an official visit to Canada.

During his official visit to Ottawa, the President will meet with H.E. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, and other senior Canadian officials to discuss issues related to Canada’s assistance to Afghanistan.

The President will also address the Parliament of Canada on a wide range of issues related to Afghanistan and thank the people and Government of Canada for their generous assistance to the reconstruction and security of Afghanistan in the past five years.

After his visit to Canada, the President will leave for a four-day official visit to Washington DC.

During his official visit to Washington, the President will meet with H.E. George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, H.E. Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States of America, H.E. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State, H.E. Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defence, US Senators and Representatives, and other senior US government officials.

President Karzai and President Bush will discuss the need to continue cooperating in areas of mutual interest including: expanding good governance, countering the threat of militant extremists, stemming narcotics trafficking, and rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy and infrastructure after decades of conflict.

The President will receive a special award from Georgetown University and address 700 guests consisting of the university’s Board of Directors, faculty, staff, and students along with other guests.

During the visit, President Karzai will visit the Walter Reed military hospital to meet American soldiers who were wounded during the global fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.   

The President will address the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and a business forum co-hosted with the US Department of Commerce.  He will meet with CEO’s of major US companies as part of the Business Building Forum Initiative.

The President will also visit Florida to meet with senior military officials from Central Command.

For further information, please contact:

Office of the Spokesman to the President

Tel.:  00 93 799 33 77 55

        00 93 799 90 94 29

Released by the Office of the Spokesman to the President