Afghan President Hamid Karzai made a direct appeal Tuesday to Canadians to continue the fight in his country, warning that Afghanistan will fall back into the anarchy that led the Taliban to power if Canada's troops are withdrawn.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, seen here in July, says his country cannot stand on its own by February 2009.
(Farzana Wahidy/Associated Press)

The appeal came during an unusual private meeting in Kabul with Canadian journalists brought to the capital from Kandahar.

Karzai said he is aware of the controversy about Canada's continued role, but added Afghanistan would not be able to stand on its own by February 2009, when Canada's current combat mandate ends, the CBC's David Common reported.

"Look around and see that the enemy is not yet finished; it is not yet defeated," Karzai said. "The presence of Canada is needed until Afghanistan is able to defend itself, and that day is not going to be in 2009."

The president also had a direct message for Quebecers amid recent polls indicating support for Canada's Afghan mission is lowest in the province.

Karzai said he regretted the deaths and injuries of all Canadian soldiers, but emphasized that the Quebec-based troops currently serving in southern Afghanistan are making the world a safer place.

The Conservative government supports extending Canada's current mandate beyond 2009, but the Liberals and Bloc Québécois are opposed. The NDP wants Canadian troops withdrawn immediately from the war-torn country.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said the current mission would continue only if his minority government could get a consensus in Parliament. He has no plans for a vote on the issue in the near future.

With files from the Canadian Press