Palin to meet with Afghan leader Karzai

WASHINGTON - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai this week in New York, campaign officials for GOP nominee John McCain confirmed yesterday.

Karzai and other world leaders will convene in New York for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly. Both McCain and Palin planned to be in New York during that time, in part so McCain can introduce the Alaska governor to the foreign dignitaries assembled there.

McCain campaign officials said Palin might have meetings with other world leaders, but declined to say which ones.

The meeting comes as the campaign works to assure voters that Palin has sufficient understanding of foreign policy to be vice president. She has acknowledged having little experience in international affairs and got her first passport in 2007 to visit Alaska National Guard members serving in Kuwait and Germany.

Palin's meeting with Karzai was part of an effort by McCain's campaign to help her prepare for the interactions with international leaders she would have if she becomes vice president, campaign officials said.

Hari Sevugan, a spokesman for Democrat Barack Obama's campaign, said the GOP ticket would continue President Bush's foreign policy priorities.

"A few meetings at the U.N. won't change the fact that John McCain is promising four more years of the same cowboy diplomacy that has shredded our alliances and set back our ability to fight international terrorism," Sevugan said.