The leader of Afghanistan's new interim administration, Hamid Karzai, is in Rome for talks with the exiled Afghan king Zahir Shah about Afghanistan's new transitional government.
Mr. Karzai told reporters that his first priority when he takes office on Saturday is to -- in his words -- "make sure that peace and security is permanent in Afghanistan."
Reuters news agency quotes him as saying that rival factions of anti-Taleban forces must realize they will have to serve under a single ministry of defense.
Mr. Karzai also said he expects an international peace force to arrive in Kabul within days, perhaps even before Saturday.
The former king is to convene a national assembly of tribal leaders to choose a government to lead Afghanistan for two years, during which a constitution is to be drafted and a judicial system and police force are to be put into place.
Mr. Karzai was named the head of the interim administration earlier this month during U-N-sponsored talks in Germany about replacing the ousted Taleban rulers.