VOA标准英语2009-Afghan President Reaches out to Taliban on E

（单词翻译）

Mr. Karzai says he is once again calling on his Afghan brothers - the Taliban and other Islamist militants² groups - to come back to their homeland to work toward peace, stability and prosperity.

Sean Maroney | Islamabad 27 November 2009

In this handout³ photograph provided by the Afghan Presidential Palace, President Hamid Karzai gives a press conference on Eid al-Adha in Kabul, 27 Nov 2009

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeated his call to the Taliban and other extremist groups to lay down their weapons and help rebuild Afghanistan.  Mr. Karzai made his appeal for peace in a speech Friday, marking the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's appeal for reconciliation⁴ echoed elements of his inaugural⁵ address last week.

Mr. Karzai says he is once again calling on his Afghan brothers - the Taliban and other Islamist militants groups - to come back to their homeland to work toward peace, stability and prosperity.

But hours after Mr. Karzai's speech Friday, the governor of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province survived an assassination⁶ attempt when a bomb targeting his convoy⁷ exploded as he headed to prayers for the Eid holiday.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Kandahar province is a stronghold for the Afghan Taliban.

President Karzai's appeal for peace also comes two days after a statement attributed to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar appeared on a Taliban Web site.

The statement said the reclusive militant¹ leader will never agree to talks that prolong the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan.  Mullah Omar has maintained a policy that rejects any negotiations⁸ before the international forces leave.

He has been in hiding since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.

President Karzai says his efforts at reconciliation will not be deterred⁹ by the Taliban leader's defiance¹⁰.

Mr. Karzai says he will continue to reach out to militants and that he hopes Omar and other Taliban recognize the necessity of reconciliation.

The Afghan president also reiterated¹¹ his call to his political rivals, including former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, to help his government rebuild Afghanistan.

Mr. Karzai won the presidential election by default after his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from a runoff, saying it was impossible for the vote to be fair.  The first round of voting on August 20 was marred¹² by widespread fraud, which mostly benefited Mr. Karzai.