KABUL, Afghanistan - Hamid Karzai, who was selected to lead the country for the next 18 months by the traditional grand council gathered here, tried yesterday to reach out to all of the nation's ethnic and regional groups as he asked the delegates to form a National Assembly to work with him.

"We should create a council from the delegates here that should work with us over the next 18 months," he said. "They should hold a hand of anger over me so I do not go too far."

It was another effort to involve the people in the decision-making process and placate many delegates who say that no one has been responding to their concerns.

Karzai's election became a foregone conclusion by Wednesday, when all the strong contenders rallied behind him in what was seen as an orchestrated election sealed behind closed doors.

In a well-received announcement yesterday, he also asked delegates to stay in Kabul at the conclusion of the grand council, or loya jirga, to meet with him in regional groups to talk about their specific problems.

"Don't go home - be a little patient and stay so we can talk," he said, suddenly turning around and asking the chairman if he could still use the big tent for the meetings.

The weeklong loya jirga is about to draw to a close. Although the gathering is scheduled to end today, members of the commission in charge of it said delegates would probably meet for an extra day, and finish tomorrow.

Karzai may present the appointment of up to five vice presidents to the meeting for approval, and the leaders of the judiciary and the National Assembly, said Muhammad Kazim Ahang, a member of the loya jirga.

The National Assembly's 160 members, roughly one-tenth the size of the gathering last week, will be elected in a secret ballot by the delegates, Ahang said.