Karzai sworn in as Afghan president for second term

KABUL. November 19. KAZINFORM The sitting Afghan president Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the president of the post-Taliban country for the second term on Thursday amid tight security; Kazinform refers to China Daily.

His oath taking ceremony, at Karzai's fortified Palace, was administered by the country's Chief Justice Abdul Salam Azimi.

Foreign guests attending the inauguration ceremony included Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and foreign ministers of France, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.  

Karzai was declared the winner of the fraud-marred presidential election on November 2, just one day after his top challenger Abdullah Abdullah boycotted the runoff; Kazinform cites China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn for full version