Kabul, Nov 18 (THAINDIAN NEWS) U.S. Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday to mark the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai.

The Presidential inauguration was done amid a very high security lockdown in Kabul, where streets and government offices are being closed to prevent the Taliban from disturbing the event. Lots of Afghan police were patrolling the Afghanistan’s streets to maintain peace and security for this critical event.

“We are standing at a critical moment,” Mrs. Clinton told embassy staffers. “There is now a clear window of opportunity for President Karzai and his government to make a new compact with the people of Afghanistan to demonstrate that now there will be accountability and tangible results to improve the lives of people throughout this country.”

U.S. Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton was also supposed to chat with the newly elected President Mr. Karzai Wednesday night over a traditional dinner of kebabs and rice at the heavily guarded presidential palace in central Kabul, where the Afghan president is mostly confined. “We want to be a strong partner to people of Afghanistan,” she said, “and to the government.”