U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Canada's role in Afghanistan is "invaluable and effective" on Thursday, and thanked Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier for the country's dedication to the mission.
"I want to thank also the people of Canada for that extraordinary contribution," Rice told reporters on Thursday.
"I want to say to the families of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice there that their sacrifice is not in vain. It is in the cause of freedom -- a noble cause."
Bernier was in Washington on Thursday to discuss with Rice the Afghanistan mission, border security and other issues.
It was the first formal meeting between the two, although they have met at several events since Bernier became Canada's foreign affairs minister in August.
After the meeting, Bernier said he was confident in the country's role in Afghanistan and thought NATO allies appreciated its dedication.
"It's a dangerous mission, but it's a mission that we're proud of," Bernier told reporters in Washington on Thursday.
"And all our allies, they know . . . what we suffer as a Canadian and so I think they praise what we're doing, like President Bush and Secretary Rice just said."
At a separate press conference Thursday, U.S. President George Bush thanked Canada and other nations for their role in helping secure Afghanistan.
"These are brave souls, working side by side with the Afghan forces and U.S. forces to deal the Taliban a blow," he said.
Bush and Rice expressed concern Thursday that commitment from war-weary NATO allies could be flagging. Both said Afghanistan cannot be allowed to become a failed state where extremism can flourish.
Bernier told reporters in Washington that Canada's military mission is set to end in 2009. A public discussion about the country's future in Afghanistan will take place after January, he said.
Rice did not say whether the U.S. would put more soldiers in Afghanistan as it reduced numbers stationed in Iraq.
Bernier and Rice also discussed the Middle East peace process and border security during their meeting.
Bernier said a secure border with the U.S. was important, but efficient trade across borders had to be considered.
"It's important to have secure and safe borders that we share together, and it's important also that we can have the goods and the trades and the travels between our two countries must be efficient, but also secure," Bernier told reporters.
Canada has been seeking to avoid the mandatory requirement of passports at the U.S. border over fears of traffic congestion that would slow cross-border trade.
This week, U.S. Congress voted to delay the requirement until June 2009. The Homeland Security Department says they will institute the passport requirement next summer as planned.
Other topics on the agenda were relations with South and Central America and a rule that prohibits foreign-born and dual-citizen Canadians from working on American military projects in Canada.
