Afghans welcome talks, express support for exiled king

Afghans welcomed talks aimed at forming a broad-based, interim government today, and expressed overwhelming support for the exiled king as a leader the nation could unite behind.

Dawat Shah, a tailor in Jalalabad’s main bazaar, said he was encouraged by the talks in Germany and said he supported exiled former King Mohammad Zaher Shah to lead an interim government because over the past 28 years he had been outside the political fray has left Afghanistan destitute.