British ptrime minister Gordon Brown landed in Afghanistan today for talks with President Hamid Karzai.
Speaking during a news conference in Kabul, Mr Brown pledged an additional $120 million in development aid to the Afghan government.
He had earlier said that he would be calling on Mr Karzai to ensure "greater co-operation" with the Pakistani authorities in battling terrorists on their borders.
"We'll be pressing on the Pakistanis themselves the need for them to be involved with us in fighting terrorism and making sure the number of terrorists coming in to Pakistan from Afghanistan is limited," he said.
Britain has some 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, which Mr Brown said were being "reconfigured" to include more secondments to the Afghan army and to tackle the Taliban's new tactics.
Mr Brown arrived in Afghanistan at a time of an upsurge in violence and amid political uncertainty in neighbouring Pakistan following the resignation of president Pervez Musharraf.
The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is a hotbed for al-Qaeda-backed Taliban insurgents, who have stepped up their guerrilla and bombing campaign in Afghanistan this year in a bid to oust Mr Karzai's pro-Western government and drive out foreign troops.
Mr Brown would not be drawn on whether the absence of Mr Musharraf - a key Western ally against terrorism - would hinder the fight against the Taliban.
Reuters