U.N. Expects to Renew Security Force Mandate in Afghanistan
(Security Council discusses Afghanistan situation, U.N. mission) (1080) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- Security Council members agree that the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan must be extended beyond June 2002, but are divided on the whether it should be deployed to other areas of the country. During a public meeting of the Security Council on Afghanistan March 26, France and United States, which are permanent members with veto powers on the council, said that they did not see the need to expand the international security force throughout Afghanistan. U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham said that "given the present security situation and the range and variety of assistance already available or underway, we do not currently see the need to expand ISAF's areas of activities beyond Kabul and its immediate environs." Cunningham said that all nations recognize that there are a variety of security challenges in the country but that Afghans, the United States and other nations are addressing them. "Working with our international partners, in the coming weeks we will begin training a national army and the United States will contribute significantly to the training and equipping of police," the ambassador said. "In early April we intend to meet with other interested countries to discuss efforts to improve the security situation in Afghanistan. When ISAF's current mandate comes up for renewal, we will support its extension through December of this year." British Ambassador Stewart Eldon said that it was important to send the "clear political message now" that ISAF's mandate will be extended beyond June. "We also accept the importance of spreading the ISAF effect outside Kabul, although as others have made clear, expansion of the force's area of operation looks difficult," Eldon said. Nevertheless, he said, Afghanistan's future stability will depend on adequate security and careful consideration must be given as to "how the ISAF effect might be encouraged to take root throughout the country." Ambassador Umit Pamir of Turkey, which may take over the ISAF command, said that "we think that the extension of the current mandate of ISAF for another term is a current requirement. By the same token, the expansion of ISAF requires a very careful and multi-faceted analysis, the necessary imputs of which are not yet there." Pakistani Ambassador Shamshad Ahmad strongly objected to limiting the ISAF to Kabul. "We feel that its size and scope must now be expanded and extended to all over the country, especially its major urban centers," he said. "ISAF, in the absence of a proper Afghan security force, is the only option we have at the moment." "The present lack of security has been a major hindrance to stability in the past and continues to threaten peace today," Ahmad said. "The Afghan people have suffered far too long at the hands of ambitious warlords. The international community must, therefore, ensure that the old rivalries and hatred which once wreaked havoc across Afghanistan are not given a chance to obstruct the establishment of a stable political dispensation in Afghanistan." The meeting was chaired by the foreign minister of Norway, Jan Petersen, who talked of the threat that the al Qaeda terrorists and Taliban still pose to peace and the political process in Afghanistan. He pointed to the recent combat operations conducted by the US-led coalition forces against al Qaeda supporters. "Norway is proud to provide personnel to the counter-terrorist campaign in Afghanistan" Petersen said. "We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States and other coalition partners in fighting global terrorism. We will work to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a base for terrorists." The major focus of the meeting was a written report submitted to the council March 18 by Secretary General Kofi Annan in which he outlined the work that had been done since December and unveiled his proposal for a United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The mission of about 200 staff under UN Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi would coordinate UN programs and support the peace process. The council is expected to adopt a resolution by the end of the month establishing UNAMA. Council members said that the establishment of UNAMA will be an important element of support for the Bonn process. The United States supports the secretary general's intent "to get an effective, efficient and integrated mission fully in place as soon as possible with a light, expatriate footprint and heavy reliance on the Afghans themselves," Cunningham noted. Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette briefed the council in place of Annan who was on his way to attend the Arab Summit in Beirut. A key innovation in the secretary general's proposal, Frechette pointed out, is a "light expatriate footprint" which is meant to ensure that Afghans take the lead in the recovery and that the bulk of foreign aid pledged to Afghanistan goes to Afghans. Frechette warned, however, that generous pledges of aid for Afghanistan must be turned into actual contributions now or vital programs will suffer. She said that UN agencies have been gearing up to help Afghanistan meet major challenges such as the back-to-school program, the return of refugees, and high rates of malnutrition that are included in the $1,180 million immediate and transitional assistance program for the year. The deputy secretary general also highlighted some positive developments in the past weeks: the reopening of schools as well as the spontaneous return of internally displaced persons in some areas and the return of more than 83,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan since March 1. Increased rainfall has left many farmers in the west, north, and northeast of the country optimistic about the next crop and there has been a massive increase in land under cultivation, she said. She said that there have been encouraging signs from the Defense Ministry personnel that many ex-combatants would be interested in taking part in reintegration programs and work is underway to identify labor-intensive programs that can employ the former combatants. One promising possibility is to train 5,000 as de-miners to help clear the vast number of mines still scattered around the country. Nevertheless, there are serious concerns, the deputy secretary general said. While process of convening a Loya Jirga is progressing significantly, the possibility that it might be intimidated or corrupted remains a key concern. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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