Poll: Most Afghans optimistic about future

• Poll: Most Afghans believe their country is headed in the right direction
• Poll: Most Afghans still worry about the lack of security
• Poll: Nearly two-thirds said they did not support the guerrillas

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A public opinion survey by a major international non-profit group says most Afghans believe their country is headed in the right direction but still worry about the lack of security resulting from the 11-year war.

A poll released Wednesday by the Asia Foundation says a large majority of Afghan adults back efforts to negotiate and reconcile with armed insurgent groups.

Only 30 percent of respondents in the poll expressed sympathy for the guerrillas, while nearly two-thirds said they did not support them.

The in-person survey of 6,290 adults from all 34 provinces, conducted with support from several international development agencies, has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.1 percentage points. The Asia Foundation's annual surveys are regularly cited by many groups working in Afghanistan.