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Whitbeck: Afghanistan's historic day

CNN Correspondent Harris Whitbeck

(CNN) -- It's a new era in Afghanistan. Following five years of Taliban rule, a new interim government was sworn in Saturday morning in Afghanistan, with the Pashtun leader Hamid Karzai as its chairman.

CNN Correspondent Harris Whitbeck is in the capital of Kabul and filed this report:

HARRIS WHITBECK: We are on the grounds of the presidential palace, where Hamid Karzai, the new chairman of the interim government, has just given his first news conference. He said that the next few days will be very busy. He said tomorrow he will hold his first Cabinet meeting. He says his main priority is to try to maintain peace and stability in this country.

HAMID KARZAI: Peace and stability in Afghanistan and to give the Afghan people an opportunity to live at absolute peace.

Economically, Afghanistan has suffered tremendously because of years of war and disaster in the country.

RESOURCES Go on the scene with CNN

WHITBECK: Mr. Karzai spoke about the significance of this day. He said that this day will go down in Afghan history only if he delivers on what he and his 29-member council have promised. He said if they do not deliver, this day will actually go into oblivion.