National Afghanistan TV, 4 June

[As soon as Karzai comes to deliver his speech, some participants shout "Allah Akbar" and make noises which are indistinct]

[Deputy chairman of the jerga Qayyamuddin Kashaf] Please sit down. Do not disrupt.

[President Hamed Karzai] My dear sister, dear sister Farahi, I have no authority over this meeting. You can talk when I had any authority over the meeting. Here I have no authority.

[Applause]

[Karzai] OK, I agree with you [after the women says something inaudible; the woman still makes noise and tries to disrupt the programme; Karzai reads out some verses from the holy Koran; the woman still angry]

[Karzai] Let her say whatever she wants.

[Karzai speaks in Dari] Prof Borhanoddin Rabbani, chairman of the National Consultative Peace Jerga; esteemed jihadi leader and the upper house speaker; jihadi leaders, brothers and sisters, participants of the jerga and representatives of foreign countries, welcome.

I am pleased to be here after three days of deliberations and talks that the Afghan people, who were watching the jerga, got the peace message from you today; a message for a peaceful and respectful future. All the people of Afghanistan were waiting to see the outcome of this major event, the National Consultative Peace Jerga yesterday and the day before yesterday. You have heard the resolution of this jerga in both of your national languages, in Dari and Pashto. The resolution was comprehensive, complete and justified. It was comprehensive, complete and justified. [applause]

You have asked our disenchanted brothers to join the peace process, and today, I am once again calling on them to use this very important opportunity provided to them by your voice, and come and bring peace and security to their land.

You called upon the government of Afghanistan to bring reforms in its activities. We will act upon your request. You asked to free some of the Taliban and other opponents detained merely for being in the opposition and in the name of Taliban and who do not have any guilt and who are in the prisons of the Afghan government and foreigners. I will act promptly. [applause]

You thanked the international community and their contributions and asked them to observe Afghanistan's regulations. This was a logical and justified request. To conclude, dear all, your resolution is a guide for the Afghan government and we are obliged to implement it from the start to the end, and God willing, I will act jointly with you.

Since the day all these efforts begin in our country's peace process, Sebghatollah Mojaddedi, the upper house speaker and our respectful jihadi leader, has made tireless efforts on behalf of the government of Afghanistan and as part of his own humanitarian efforts and helped in returning back thousands of Taliban to their homeland and gave them a message of peace during the last four and five years. Let me take this opportunity to thank His Excellency on behalf of all of you for his unforgettable efforts. This was his kindness. He was always kind enough for this nation. Thank you very much and wish you all the success.

No doubt, you thanked the Islamic world and those who helped Afghanistan. I do not want to add anything more here. Japan was one of the countries which was committed to peace in Afghanistan and assisted 5m dollars for Afghanistan in the coming five years. In addition to thanking other countries, we also appreciate and thank Japanese government's efforts.

Your call on the guardian of the two holy mosques, who is making efforts for the sake of peace in Afghanistan with very much good intention, sympathy and brotherhood, is of paramount importance. The guardian of the two holy mosques is the greatest person of the Islamic World, and this voice of yours will certainly increase their efforts in this respect.

The Turkish government is making joint efforts with us. Today the Turkish government has announced a declaration, supporting the National Consultative Peace Jerga which might be covered in the world news tonight.

I thank very much the board of directors of this jerga, Prof Rabbani, secretariat office, the brothers and sisters here, Dr Faruq Wardag and Dr Moddaber and all those people who made their tireless efforts to make this event successful.

I also thank the suggestion made by Mr Kashaf for sending our sisters and mothers to our sisters and mothers in the houses of our Taliban. This is a very good step. I hope this suggestion to be implemented as soon as possible. In addition to Afghanistan, I want that our sisters and mothers go to Pakistan and Iran and seek a peaceful life there.

I, in my turn, thank you for thanking our donor countries. [Karzai switches to Pashto] I once again raise this issue and call upon our brothers, Taliban, my friends and our disenchanted members of the Hezb-e Eslami to take advantage from this very important opportunity. This was a peaceful voice of the Afghan nation. Respond positively to this peaceful voice. Come and jointly build this country and bring peace here. Accept this peace voice and help bring peace to the country. I repeatedly thank all the members of this jerga, my brothers and sisters.

You all honoured the history of Afghanistan by convening this jerga. Despite all the problems, you have proved that this is an independent soil and can raise its voice. I wish you all the best and I am sure you will not be disappointed from these jergas and consultations. We will achieve peace and security through this jerga. You have guided us how to go forward. It was the first but a very helpful step. I hope to reach our objectives. Thank you very much and hope for a sustainable peace and security in our country. Once again I thank all of you and wish you all the best.