Military

DATE=11/08/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT-

TITLE=BRITAIN / AFGHAN AID (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-282869

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: British officials say food shipments into Afghanistan have been increasing, despite the U-S-led military strikes against terrorist and military targets there. V-O-A Correspondent Michael Drudge reports from London.

TEXT: The United Nations' World Food Program says 16-thousand tons of food were sent into Afghanistan in the past week. If that pace continues, it will exceed the 52-thousand tons a month that officials say Afghanistan needs right now to keep the population fed through the approaching winter.

Britain's parliamentary secretary for international aid, Hilary Benn, says food is getting into Afghanistan despite the fighting.

/// BENN ACT 1 ///

The figures demonstrate that, notwithstanding the military action, which is being taken for reasons which I think are well understood, the amount of food getting into the country has steadily increased, week by week.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Benn told reporters there are still difficulties in distributing food inside of Afghanistan, including interference by the country's Taleban rulers.

/// BENN ACT 2 ///

The Taleban continue to hold the World Food Program warehouse in Kandahar, which they seized, I think it was two or three weeks ago, and we currently have no indication what they propose to do with that.

/// END ACT ///

Officials say the world community has responded generously to a U-N appeal for the international humanitarian effort. The United Nations asked for 650-million dollars, and it has received 740-million dollars so far.

Relief convoys are now entering Afghanistan from Pakistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan. The United Nations plans to open a new route from Tajikistan within a few days.

Mr. Benn says that operation will carry nine-thousand tons of food in 60 convoys, with trucks and snowplows supplied by the Russian government. (Signed)

NEB/MWD/KL/JWH