UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Thursday Afghan President Hamid Karzai's commitment to fight corruption as he congratulated him on being inaugurated for a second term.

Karzai was inaugurated earlier in the day in the presidential palace. The ceremony was attended by senior diplomats from the U.K., France, Italy, Canada, Germany, Turkey, Sweden, Lithuania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, India, the U.A.E., and the U.S.

"The Secretary-General wishes to congratulate President Hamid Karzai on his inauguration today as the elected President of Afghanistan for a second term," Ban's spokesperson said in a statement.

"He welcomes the commitment of President Karzai to serve all Afghans, to fight corruption and to bring increased good governance, security and services to the country, as expressed in the President's inaugural speech," the statement said.

Karzai was declared the winner of Afghanistan's presidential elections on November 2 when officials scrapped the second round of voting following the withdrawal of his opponent, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Moscow supported on Thursday the plan of action outlined by Karzai in his inauguration speech.

UNITED NATIONS, November 19 (RIA Novosti)