Kabul - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday left Kabul for New York to attend the opening of the 63rd UN General Assembly and meet world leaders including US President George W Bush.

On Wednesday, Karzai is scheduled to address session to inform about the progress his country has made against terrorism, the presidential palace said in a statement.

On the margins of the UN session, the president would also call on world leaders including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the Norwegian and Dutch premiers.

Karzai would also meet NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

On Friday Karzai is scheduled to meet US President George W Bush in the White House to discuss US assistance to his government and the war against the Taliban.

Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and National Security advisor Zelmai Rasoul are among the officials accompanying the president during the week-long US visit. (dpa)