Gordon Brown warned of a "crucible of terrorism" to the south of Afghanistan today as he paid a surprise visit to the troubled country.
Gordon Brown warned of a "crucible of terrorism" to the south of Afghanistan today as he paid a surprise visit to the troubled country.
The Prime Minister said tackling the lawless hinterland stretching into Pakistan was essential for safeguarding Britain's streets.
The comments came as he held talks with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Kabul, where they discussed a new UK strategy towards the area.
Hundreds of millions of pounds in education and development aid are to be refocused on the remote north of Pakistan, where Taliban elements have been operating with impunity.
Mr Brown said 25 to 30 million people were living in a "breeding ground for terrorists" between the two countries.
He said: "There is a crucible of terrorism in the mountainous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"Our approach to these countries is different, but must be complementary. Our strategy for dealing with this breeding ground for terrorism will mean more security on the streets of Britain."
The UK wants provinces to be handed over to government control one by one - in much the same way as has happened in Iraq.
The strategy also calls for the Afghan army to be expanded from 75,000 to 135,000 by the end of 2011, alongside recruiting thousands more police.
Earlier, the Prime Minister visited troops.
Speaking on a visit to frontline British troops in Helmand Province, Mr Brown said the area between Afghanistan and Pakistan was a "breeding ground for international terrorists".
"There is a chain of terrorism that goes from here round to the streets of Britain. That's why it's absolutely important that while we have made progress on Afghan elections, democratic government, six million children in education, hospitals as well as roads and infrastructure for the people of Afghanistan, that we defeat international terrorism and hold it back from here in Lashkar Gar, here in Helmand province, but also on the other side of the border in Pakistan.
"That is why we will be publishing a strategy on Wednesday to deal with the problem of terrorism across these border areas."
Asked if the dire state of public finances meant the UK could no longer afford operations in Afghanistan on the current scale, the Prime Minister replied: "I think it is right that we support an exercise by more than 40 countries who maintain democracy in Afghanistan against the Taliban and against the possibility of al Qaida.
"I think it is very important that we work with the Pakistan government in countering terrorism.
"We know that three-quarters of the terrorist activities that happened in Britain arise from the areas around here.
"Therefore, the safety of people on the streets of Britain is immediately being safeguarded by the action being taken here."
During his visit to the base, which has seen fierce fighting over recent weeks, Mr Brown was given a briefing on the situation by Brigadier Tim Radford, commander of Task Force Helmand.
He then took part in a Shurah, a meeting of local community leaders.
He told the gathering, which included the province's governor Gulab Mangal: "We know that there are insurgents wanting to take land in this area. We want to help you because it helps us to be safer too as well."
Mr Brown told the news conference in Kabul: "I come here as a friend of Afghanistan, wanting to continue to work with you in the best ways we can to strengthen the democracy of Afghanistan, to give support to the Afghan people, social, economic and political.
"(That's) help for the future and, of course, to join the work of eradicating terrorism from this area and, of course, from the borders of Pakistan as well."
