Obama, EU press Karzai on Afghan government reform

By Ross Colvin and Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders pressed re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday to focus on good governance and other challenges facing his country and backed plans for an international conference on Afghanistan.

But European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said European nations are reluctant to contribute more troops, as Obama considers boosting U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

"We look forward to working with the new Afghan administration and renewing efforts to promote good governance, respect for human rights, gender equality and democratic development," Obama, Barroso, European Council High Representative Javier Solana, and Fredrik Reinfeldt, the prime minister of Sweden, which holds the EU's collective presidency, said in a declaration issued after a U.S.-EU summit at the White House.

"These could be supported at an international conference, possibly in Kabul."

International leaders have expressed support for Karzai since he was declared winner of an election riddled with fraud, but stressed that they need Afghanistan's government to be a credible partner as they weigh sending more troops to try to stabilize the country.

"Honestly, in Europe there is not great enthusiasm for sending more troops to Afghanistan," Barroso said.

European ministers have said they expect any new troop pledges may come when NATO foreign ministers meet in December.

The summit declaration congratulated Karzai on his re-election, and said, "We look forward to the formation of a new government, representing the will of the Afghan people. We encourage the new government to swiftly develop an agenda focused on the serious challenges facing Afghanistan."