As British Prime Minister Tony Blair opened a two-day conference on Afghanistan's future in London, he vowed that the world would stand firm alongside the war-torn country in its fight for freedom, moderation and democracy.

The London conference has brought major world powers together to sign a five-year deal aimed at helping Afghanistan defeat a resurgent Taliban and opium traffickers.

 

Blair said winning that fight was vital not only for the Afghan people but for the entire international community.

 

He told Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the London summit: "That's why this is a struggle that, of course, primarily concerns the Afghan people, but it is also a struggle that concerns all of us."

 

"That's why we are here today. That's why we are determined to see this through and why, whatever your challenges, we will be there with you at your side, helping you."

 

The United States pledged an extra $1.1 billion (908 million euros) in financial aid to support the Afghan people in the next fiscal year, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the conference.

 

"For us, it is a strategic partnership," she said.

 

German participation