Afghan President Hamid Karzai has renewed his call on the Taliban to enter peace negotiations with his government.

The newly re-elected president urged the Taliban to end their violence and instead help in reconstructing the country, which he said would be his primary objective during his inauguration.

Karzai made the appeal during a massage he delivered Friday on the occasion of Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice).

The plea came two days after the reclusive leader of Taliban militants, Mullah Omar, rejected any peace negotiation with the Karzai administration.

"The people of Afghanistan will not agree to negotiation which prolongs and legitimizes the invader's military presence in our beloved country. Afghanistan is our home," a Taliban statement quoted Omar as saying.

Karzai, however, reached out to the militants again and said, "From the Taliban, from Hezb-e-Islami (the Islamic party) and all our other brothers who stand armed against their country, I hope that for the peace, stability and development of their country, they come back to their homeland, their families."

Hezb-e-Islami is a militant group led by a known warlord, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Commenting about his strategy of engaging Omar, Karzai said that "we will continue to invite them until peace and stability come to this country," the Associated Press reported.

VA/MMN