The minister, who flew in from neighbouring Tajikistan, met the Afghan leader shortly after spending half an hour with former king Mohammed Zahir Shah, who recently returned from a medical trip to France.

"France hopes your country regains its former prestige," Alliot-Marie told the ex-monarch during a brief photocall.

"We will help efforts to rebuild Afghan heritage and will reinforce cultural links with Afghanistan," she said.

The French defence minister said she had "found many positive changes, notably in the reconstruction of the country" since she last visited Afghanistan in June.

She also passed on New Year greetings from French President Jacques Chirac to the former monarch, who invited Chirac to visit his country.

"Cultural reconstruction and the formation of the army are among urgent matters," Zahir Shah said.

Earlier, Alliot-Marie was greeted at Kabul's international airport by an Afghan guard of honor accompanied by a French army detachment.

She later visited Kabul's military academy, where French and US soldiers are training recruits for a new Afghan national army.

After completing her schedule, the minister is due to celebrate New Year's Eve with the French contingent of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which patrols Kabul.

France has deployed 500 troops, including 50 military instructors, to the 22-nation United Nations-mandated force which provides security in the Afghan capital.

France is also one of the nations contributing to a US-led military coalition which has been pursuing al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan for more than one year.

Before arriving in Kabul, Alliot-Marie visited Dushanbe where she held talks with her Tajik counterpart, general Cherali Khairoullaiev, signing agreements on troop training.

Dushanbe is a major logistical hub for the transport of French military equipment and personnel into Afghanistan. Around 100 French troops are stationed in the Tajik capital to oversee a steady stream of air traffic.

During her Dushanbe visit, Alliot-Marie said she had chosen to spend New Year among the soldiers stationed in Kabul over those stationed in other hotspots around the world because they live and work "the farthest away and probably in the most difficult conditions".

"Portable phones don't work here and so I chose to be with those who are in the most difficult conditions, without forgetting those who are stationed elsewhere, notably in Ivory Coast," she added.

France has recently become increasingly embroiled in its former west African colony of Ivory Coast, deploying some 2,500 troops who have clashed several times with rebels since conflict broke out three months ago.

SPACE.WIRE