A pair of lions and several other animals donated by China have arrived in Afghanistan and taken up residence at the country's war-battered zoo in the capital Kabul. A ceremony has been held in Kabul to mark the handover.
A cargo plane carrying the animals donated by China arrived in Kabul on Wednesday. A brief ceremony was held Thursday in Kabul Zoo for the arrival of the animals.
Chinese Ambassador Sun Yuxi and Vice Mayor of Kabul, Habbullah Azghari, attended the ceremony.
Sun Yuxi says the two lions are symbols of national unity and dignity and, through the gift, the Chinese people were offering their hopes for happiness and prosperity in Afghanistan.
Azghari expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Chinese government and people for donating the animals.
Zoo officials say the two lions will be housed in the same cage that was home to a famous former resident called Marian. Marian was a lonely, lame and half-blind male lion who died on a cold winter night earlier this year. Other animals include two bears, two pigs, two deer and a wolf.
(CCTV.com, October 4, 2002)
