A three-day "peace jirga" or tribal council on combating the Taleban has begun in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Afghanistan must work with Pakistan to defeat Islamic militants, President Hamid Karzai has told hundreds of tribal leaders at a key peace summit.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who was to attend, has pulled out citing other commitments.
The Afghan leader was opening the three-day "peace jirga" or tribal council, on combating the Taleban and al-Qaeda, in the Afghan capital Kabul.
But Afghan leader Hamid Karzai was upbeat as he opened the jirga, saying it brought together "brother nations".
He told 700 Afghan and Pakistani delegates of their "common destiny".
Up to 700 tribal elders, clerics and leaders of both countries have been invited - but not the Taleban, who have called for a boycott.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who was to attend, had pulled out citing other commitments.
Tribal elders from Pakistan's North and South Waziristan also refused to come.
But Mr Karzai was upbeat as he opened the jirga - in a huge tent - saying it brought together "brother nations".
'Disappointed'
"I am confident, I believe... if both Afghanistan and Pakistan put their hands together, we will eliminate in one day oppression against both nations," he said.
Pakistani and Afghan tribal leaders gathered in the huge tent where the meeting is taking place.
Mr Aziz and Mr Karzai agreed this was a combined battle
Mr Karzai told them: "We are very proud today that this peace jirga has brought two countries, two brothers, two close neighbours together.
"If the problem is from the Afghanistan side, we should seek ways to solve it. If the problem is in Pakistan, we should find solutions for it.
"Our future and our destiny is intertwined," he said.
Although the Afghan president did not mention the recent kidnapping of a group of South Koreans, he denounced the kidnapping of women.
"Never in Afghanistan's history has anyone kidnapped women. Even robbers would back off when they found women in a caravan, respecting their dignity and honour."
This is only a display, which cannot produce the true views of the Afghan people Abdul Ghafoor HaideriSecretary General, Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
This is only a display, which cannot produce the true views of the Afghan people Abdul Ghafoor HaideriSecretary General, Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
"There is no doubt this jirga will be successful," he said.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz - who came to the meeting instead of President Musharraf - welcomed President Karzai's comments.
Gen Musharraf has sent Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his place and assured Mr Karzai his "full support" towards making the jirga a success, according to Pakistan's foreign ministry.
"Terrorism, militancy, the violent creed preached by al-Qaeda, extremism and Talebanisation represent pain, intolerance and backwardness in our societies and a phenomenon that has maligned our great and noble faith, Islam," he said.
The Afghan government says it is disappointed that the Pakistani leader has decided not to attend.
"They are not the future of Pakistan or Afghanistan. We must fight these dark forces with determination and resolve," he said.
A spokesman for Mr Karzai told the BBC that the Pakistani president would have made a significant contribution to the gathering, but denied that the jirga would be undermined by his withdrawal.
Moral authority
Correspondents say Gen Musharraf's decision to pull out may be intended as a snub to the US-sponsored jirga, following recent statements by US presidential candidates about alleged Pakistani failings in the "war on terror".
Afghan officials often accuse Pakistan of harbouring Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters, but Islamabad has strongly denied the charge, pointing out that it has arrested several senior militant leaders and is battling its own Taleban threat in its tribal areas.
But US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack has not ruled out the possibility of Gen Musharraf attending at some point.
Roads are being repaired ahead of the assembly in Kabul
"We'll see if President Musharraf is able to attend any portion of the meeting," he said.
Around 175 Pakistani officials, politicians and tribal elders are attending the jirga.
A spokesman for Mr Karzai said building peace and stability was still the council's intention.
The BBC's Eurasia editor says that while a breakthrough at the jirga is not expected, organisers hope that any decision taken there will have moral authority and that tribal chiefs will be able to take the decisions back and implement them.
The idea of a joint Afghan-Pakistan peace jirga was first suggested by Mr Karzai during talks with US President George W Bush in September.
The idea of a joint Afghan-Pakistan peace jirga was first suggested by Mr Karzai during talks with US President George W Bush in September.
In October, President Karzai said he saw the jirga as an attempt to revive Pashtun civil society on both sides of the border, to combat what he called the growing "Talebanisation" of the region.
Pakistani flags
Jirgas are a traditional method of decision-making and dispute-resolution. The Taleban have denounced the jirga, calling the process "George Bush's initiative".
Supporters of the Taleban say talks that do not include them could be futile.
Supporters of the Taleban say talks that do not include them could be futile.
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, secretary general of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) told the Associated Press news agency: "This is only a display, which cannot produce the true views of the Afghan people."
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, secretary general of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) told the Associated Press news agency: "This is only a display, which cannot produce the true views of the Afghan people."
The BBC's Bilal Sarwary, however, said there was some optimism in Kabul.
Our correspondent says the sight of Pakistani flags throughout the city is unusual because there is normally a climate of mistrust between the two countries.
The Afghan spokesman for the jirga, Asif Nang, said that the jirga would look at "what causes the insecurity, locate the hideouts of terrorists, track finances and find out how we could deal with the whole problem".
Can the Afghan peace jirga be successful in finding ways to defeat the Taleban? Send us your comments using the form below:
Can the Afghan peace jirga be successful in finding ways to defeat the Taleban? Send us your comments using the form below:
