Military

DATE=11/14/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BRITAIN/AFGHAN (L-O)

NUMBER=2-283124

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Thousands of British troops are on standby to go to Afghanistan to help establish order in cities that have fallen to anti-Taleban Northern Alliance forces. We get more from V-O-A's Michael Drudge in London.

TEXT: British Defense Ministry officials say several-thousand British troops are prepared to go to Afghanistan with 48-hours notice.

No decision has been reached on actual deployment, but officials say the contingent could include paratroopers and Royal Marines.

British officials say the mission would provide what they call a "stabilizing force," while the United Nations works to create a new Afghan government.

Officials say the British soldiers could hand out humanitarian aid and rebuild infrastructure destroyed by years of war.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters Wednesday that humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan is a top priority now.

/// BLAIR ACT ///

We have to make a particular push now on the humanitarian side. This will be very, very important indeed. Because although the World Food Program is able to get substantial amounts of food and aid into Afghanistan, we need to make sure it is distributed to the people that really need it. And this is a big humanitarian challenge, and we need to rise to it.

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Mr. Blair repeated that a post-Taleban government must have a broad-based administration that includes representatives of the Pashtun ethnic group.

The Northern Alliance is comprised mainly of ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks, while the Taleban are mostly Pashtuns.

Mr. Blair said the United Nations should take the lead in helping Afghans organize a new government, and he hopes all ethnic groups will cooperate in the process. (SIGNED)

NEB/MWD/TW/RAE