KABUL - The international conference on Afghanistan that will be staged in London early next year provides “a very timely” opportunity to discuss the country's agenda in the wake of its recent presidential elections, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

Mr. Ban said the London conference – scheduled to take place on 28 January – and a further high-level conference, to be convened in Kabul a few months later – will help outline the framework so that Afghans can play a greater role in shaping their own destiny.

“These conferences would thus constitute defining moments in the reconfiguration of the relationship between Afghanistan and the international community,” Mr. Ban said today in a statement issued in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, where he is attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.

The United Nations Secretary-General stressed his support for high-level dialogue and noted that Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in his inaugural speech earlier this month, also outlined the importance of such discussions in the wake of the elections.

Mr. Karzai was re-elected to the presidency after his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from the run-off round that had been slated for 7 November.

In his inaugural speech Mr. Karzai detailed a work programme for the new Government, and pledged to fight corruption and to bring increased good governance, security and services to the country, where the Taliban and other insurgents continue to wreak violence.

The London conference is the result of a joint European proposal by the United Kingdom, France and Germany and Mr. Ban today thanked Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel for their initiative.

After meeting with Mr. Brown today, Mr. Ban told journalists that the conference would have two objectives: to establish a strong compact between Mr. Karzai, his Government and his people, and to set up a strong partnership between the Afghan people and the international community.

"We expect President Karzai will reach out to ethnic groups and other political leaders to promote national reconciliation and unity of the government. We also expect that we will try to help the Afghan Government so they can build institutional capacity.

"We also expect that President Karzai will ensure good governance, including eradication of corrupt practices of their country and... [through improving and strengthening] partnerships with neighbouring countries like Pakistan, India, Iran and Turkey."