KABUL - Germany will remain a loyal ally of Afghanistan, but also expects the country to do its utmost to stamp out terrorism in the region, said German President Christian Wulff during a visit to the country Sunday. 'Afghanistan and the international community can not shy away from any effort to end terror and violence against innocent people,' said Wulff during a meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
'Germany will not abandon Afghanistan,' Wulff said on what was the first state visit by a German president to Afghanistan for 44 years. At the same time, he also decried corruption, criminality and a drug trade that still runs rampant in parts of the country.

In return, Karzai told Wulff - whose role is largely ceremonial - Germany was an 'old friend of Afghanistan.'

Part of the reason for trip was to prepare the way for a conference on Afghanistan scheduled for December in Germany.

But Wulff - who was on his way to visit German troops in Afghanistan's north - was also careful not to forgo a visit with Karzai. Such a move in 2010 by Wulff's predecessor - Horst Koehler - was seen as a snub by Karzai.

Koehler resigned shortly afterwards due to controversial comments he made about German military involvement in Afghanistan.

Wulff said that Germany would remain a friend and partner for Afghanistan even after the withdrawal of international troops planned for 2014.

Karzai praised Germany as one of the biggest donors to Afghanistan over the past decade, adding: 'Germany has served the people of Afghanistan, and has endeavored for the prosperity and development of Afghanistan and has put the money earned with sweat and hardworking of its people in the service of Afghan people.'

The president, after his meeting with Karzai, met representatives of Afghan civil society involved in human rights especially the rights of women.

After the meeting in Kabul, where Wulff was greeted with full military honours, Wulff headed on to Mazar-e-Sharif, where he was preparing for his meeting with the troops.

The visit is Wulff's first to the country. He said he wanted to assess the state of the handover from NATO troops to Afghan forces.

The trip was not announced in advance for security reasons.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Afghanistan in December.

Around 5,000 German troops are based in Afghanistan. They are due to begin withdrawing at the end of this year.

Germany's deployment in Afghanistan is highly controversial among parts of the German public, with a recent spate of firebomb attacks by leftists on the Berlin rail network being partly claimed as a response to the military intervention. (DPA)