Brown phones Karzai to conduct major changes

LONDON: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to conduct major changes if he is returned to office.

Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, said, "Once a decision is made about the second round elections, President Karzai or whoever is president, will want to unify the country. And they will have to have a manifesto that is capable of that unity.

That means tackling corruption, getting the best people into government and not just getting friends or cronies, at the same time it means building up the local government - because local government is most important to most of the Afghan people and bringing in those elements who have been against the government but who might now be prepared to work with it."