At a weekend meeting in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer assured Afghan President Hamid Karsai (photo) that Germany will increase its levels of reconstruction aid, following Afghanistan's first free presidential election this Saturday.

Germany should do everything possible to help Afghanistan fight terrorism within its own borders, Fischer said.

Fischer promised to provide money and manpower aimed at shoring up the country's provincial police force, as many areas of Afghanistan continue to be controlled by local warlords. Germany will also help improve border security in an effort to prevent drug smuggling, Fischer said.

More legitimate

At the Berlin meeting , Karzai expressed confidence that his administration would emerge from the historic election next weekend with increased legitimacy.

Karzai, who was elected by a council of tribal leaders in June 2002 after the Taliban regime was ousted in a US-led invasion, is widely expected to win the vote on Saturday.

Parliamentary elections are due to follow, although no date has yet been set.

"Legitimacy will increase tremendously after the elections," Karzai told a press conference following his talks with Fischer.

Protection from Germany

The remnants of the Taliban regime have regrouped along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan and have warned the people of Afghanistan against voting in the elections.

Germany contributes around 2,000 troops to the 9,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and the German parliament on Thursday extended the troops' mandate until October 2005.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is due to visit Afghanistan two days after the election, although government officials have admitted the trip could be cancelled if the violence that has flared ahead of the elections worsens.

Karzai also said he had discussed security for the parliamentary elections with Fischer.

"There will be a contribution from NATO and the other members of the international community for the parliamentary elections as well," Karzai said.

German troops in a so-called Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) operating in northern Afghanistan were criticized by foreign aid workers for failing to come to their rescue when they came under attack from an angry mob earlier this month.

But Karzai said German troops had played an essential role in helping to rebuild Afghanistan.

"It has made a lot of difference, in the form of the PRTs, in the form of reconstruction.Germany has been one of the steadfast, biggest nations supporting Afghanistan," he said.