"I have good news for you and that is that basic reforms for betterment of affairs in the ministry of defence are going to start soon," Karzai said in an address to a symposium on national security sector reform organised by the United States Office of Military Cooperation.

"This will result in a structure that will make Afghanistan's future army more experienced and more powerful.

"In the coming few days the defence minister of Afghanistan will announce some changes and appointments. After that the process of gathering weapons and demobilisation will start," he told the audience of provincial governors, ministers and representatives of the international community.

The United Nations has called for the urgent implementation of reforms to make the defence ministry and army more representative of the country's ethnic and regional mix.

Defence Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim has been accused of packing the ministry and new national army with fellow Tajiks.

US military chief General Richard Myers was due to meet with Fahim Wednesday to discuss reform efforts. The United States is leading efforts to train and rebuild the new national army, which currently numbers 5,000, against an expected eventual strength of 70,000.

"In the past two years there has been a lot of progress in different sectors, but there is a lot more to be done, especially in the security sector which deals with defence of the country, and has a direct impact on the daily lives of families.

"We appreciate what has been done up to now but is it enough? We have to do more," Karzai said.

The Japanese-led programme to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate some 100,000 militiamen across the country is seen as an important step towards improving security and extending the reach of Karzai's government beyond Kabul to the provinces, which remain largely under the sway of warlords and militias with nominal allegiance to the president.

WAR.WIRE