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King Zahir Shah Zahir Shah was nineteen at the time of his accession-still very young to assume control of so turbulent a country. In keeping with Afghan tradition, the late king's brothers assumed control, although they did not contest the throne. The power struggles of the past were abandoned. In 1953 the kings' uncle stepped down, to be replaced by first cousins of the king's generation.

European Commission European Parliament European Goverments NGOs UN and Agencies Arms control Climate Debt relief and development Drug and terrorism Education Energy and environment Famine and malnutrition Health/AIDS Human rights Balkans Central and Eastern Europe Other European Institutions World Bank/ IMF Peacekeeping Refugees and asylum Trade and globalisation 8/6/2001 Afghanistan: Former ...