Military

DATE=11/13/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N-Iran-Afghanistan (L Only)

NUMBER=2-283110

BYLINE=Breck Ardery

DATELINE=United Nations

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Iran's Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, told the United Nations Security Council that his nation fully supports U-N efforts to establish a transitional administration in Afghanistan. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United Nations.

TEXT: Mr. Kharrazi said the United Nations has a central role to play in Afghanistan and endorsed the work of U-N special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. Earlier, Mr. Brahimi called for talks involving Northern Alliance leaders and representatives of other segments of Afghan society with the aim of establishing a transitional administration in Afghanistan.

Mr. Kharrazi said the recent military success of the Northern Alliance makes work on a broad-based transitional administration all the more urgent.

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This urgency has been further augmented by recent military developments. The liberation of Kabul should be viewed as a military necessity that should be followed immediately by urgent action by the United Nations to establish, in consultation with Afghan groups, an interim administration. This authority should operate under a United Nations umbrella and should represent the ethnic composition of Afghanistan and should be of an administrative rather than political character.

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Mr. Kharrazi said there will be a need for an international force to maintain security in Afghanistan but that it will not necessarily require a "large scale" international military deployment.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also urged the U-N Security Council to adopt a formal resolution on the future of Afghanistan. The Council is expected to consider such a resolution by the end of the week.(Signed)

NEB/UN/BA/PT