Afghan ex-king gives first address

The ex-king gave his support to Mr Karzai

By Kate Clark BBC Correspondent in Kabul

The former Afghan King Zahir Shah has given his first full statement to the press since his return to Kabul on Thursday.

He told the national news agency that he has no intention of reviving the monarchy and gave his full support to the interim administration and the current leader, Hamid Karzai.

Zahir Shah said returning to Afghanistan after 29 years of exile had been the best moment in his life.

The former king's statement led the news

He has shared the sufferings of his compatriots during the last three decades, he said: the war, bloodshed and foreign intervention and what he calls "foul rulers and wrong politics".

He said he now wants to help his people.

But he said he has not come to restore the monarchy and he fully supports the interim administration.

He singled out Mr Karzai, saying he is a patriot, a true Afghan, the son of a martyr and has provided wholesome leadership for Afghanistan.

Karzai boost?

Such praise again raises the question of who will benefit most from the former King's return: Zahir Shah himself or Mr Karzai for being seen to bring this popular figure home?

After two nights when Kabul television has carried very little coverage of the former King's return, his statement led the news, along with film of him having lunch with Mr Karzai and delegates and leaders from across the country.

The controller of Kabul TV has denied that a break in transmission on the day Zahir Shah returned was deliberate.

He said the longest television silence any Afghan could remember was due to technical failure.