RIYADH, Jan 19: The head of Afghan interim government, Hamid Karzai, reached Jeddah on Friday evening, on his first visit abroad.

Later, in an interview with Saudi daily Okaz, Karzai said: “I am visiting the Kingdom on my first trip abroad because we are grateful to its continued support to us in all stages of the Afghan crisis. The Kingdom is considered among the first to provide unlimited support to the Afghan people,” he said.

He praised King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah for their “true and loyal stand towards me after I was appointed head of the Afghan government.”