President says no future for warlords or drug barons

Beijing, November 5, 2004 – H.E. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has given an acceptance speech, a day after being officially declared the winner in the country's first-ever direct presidential election. Looking ahead, he said there is no room for warlords and drug barons... all of whom have flourished through nearly three decades of conflict.

Making his acceptance speech in the capital Kabul, H.E. President Karzai said his pre-election vow to eliminate private militias had clearly won the support of the people. He announced, "This will be a government based on the constitution of Afghanistan and in respect of the constitution of Afghanistan. A government that will work for the strengthening of the Afghan National Army, the police and other institutions of the state, there will not any private militias forces in Afghanistan. That's the first demand of the Afghan people. There will definitely, definitely not going to be any drug thing in Afghanistan."

H.E. President Karzai said he would form a government made up of people with "like minds and ideals."