LONDON, Jan 31: Afghanistan’s interim leader, Hamid Karzai on Thursday addressed a meeting of the British cabinet in Downing Street, asking for greater security assistance for the smooth functioning of his government.

After receiving a warm welcome during his tour of the US, Mr Karzai flew into London on Thursday.

Received at the Heathrow airport by British foreign secretary Jack Straw, the two men headed for Downing Street, where Mr Karzai joined ministers for the end of their weekly cabinet meeting. Last time the British cabinet was addressed by the ex US president, Bill Clinton.

Mr Karzai spoke high of their contributions to reconstructing his nation. Britain has pledged to spend 200 million US dollars over the reconstruction work in Afghanistan over the next five years. “We will make sure that the money that your taxpayers have given to our government is spent respectfully and correctly,” Mr Karzai said.

The Afghan leader outlined his spending priorities — education, health, road building, communications and banking. He said the Taliban had run away with whatever money they could get their hands on. “We literally had no currency notes. Our own notes, which are printed in trillions,” he laughed.

Mr Karzai also held a meeting with Tony Blair, the British prime minister. Mr Karzai wants the peacekeeping force to cover the whole of country and which means the deployment of many thousand more troops. On Wednesday Mr Karzai appealed to the United Nations Security Council to commit more troops to prevent factional fighting, warning that the future stability of the country would otherwise be in jeopardy.

Karzai also suggested that the international peacekeeping force must remain in Afghanistan for longer than the planned six months.

Earlier, Mr Blair’s spokesman said: “The prime minister is keen to continue the dialogue with the new administration in Afghanistan.”

“As the prime minister has said many times, we won’t repeat the mistakes of the past and walk away from the people of Afghanistan, and that means not only giving financial support but also means giving political support, he added.

Britain has also pledged to provide training facilities in building a new regular Afghan army and the police force.