Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been invited to pay an official visit to Norway on 16 and 17 December. His programme will include meetings with King Harald V, President of the Storting Jørgen Kosmo and Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik. He will also attend the opening of a meeting of the Afghanistan Support Group, which is currently chaired by Norway.

President Karzai will arrive in the military area at Gardermoen Airport in the late afternoon/evening on Sunday 15 December, and will be met by Minister of International Development Hilde F. Johnson. He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Minister of Women’s Affairs Habiba Sarabi.

Members of the press must have special accreditation for all events at which President Karzai is present. They may apply for accreditation on the Ministry’s website: www.akkreditering.mfa.no

The deadline for applying for accreditation is Thursday 12 December 2002.

On Monday 16 December President Karzai will have a meeting with Foreign Minister Jan Petersen from 10.00 to 10.50, followed by a short meeting with the press at approximately 10.50. President Karzai will have a meeting with Minister of International Development Johnson from 11.00 to 11.45. Both meetings will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 12.00 to 12.45 he will have a meeting with Minister of Defence Kristin Krohn Devold at the Ministry of Defence.

Foreign Minister Petersen will host a luncheon for President Karzai from 13.30 to 15.00 at the Government Guest House, Parkveien 45.

From 15.45 to 16.45 President Karzai will have a meeting with representatives of the Norwegian private sector at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica.

From 17.00 to 18.00 President Karzai will have a meeting with Afghan exiles at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica.

At 19.30, Prime Minister Bondevik will host a dinner for President Karzai at Akershus Castle. For press pools, see information from the Prime Minister’s Office.

On Tuesday 17 December, President Karzai will have political talks with Prime Minister Bondevik, who is his host during the visit, from 10.00 to 10.45. Photo opportunity at the beginning of the talks. The talks will be followed by a press conference from 10.45 to 11.05 in the reception area on the ground floor of building H* in the Government Office Complex.

At 12.45 His Majesty The King will receive President Karzai at the Royal Palace for an audience, followed by a luncheon.

At 15.00 President Karzai will open the meeting of the Afghanistan Support Group, at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica. Members of the press are welcome to attend the first day of the meeting.

On Wednesday 18 December at 12.30, there will be a final press conference in connection with the meeting of the Afghanistan Support Group at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica.