Military

DATE=8/11/2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=AFGHANISTAN / US / RUMSFELD (S/L)

NUMBER=2-318175

BYLINE=MICHAEL KITCHEN

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

HEADLINE: Rumsfeld Calls for Afghan-led War on Opium

INTRO: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says Afghanistan's government should take the lead to curb the country's opium production. VOA's Michael Kitchen reports from Islamabad on Mr. Rumsfeld's Afghan visit.

TEXT: Speaking to reporters Wednesday in the capital, Kabul, Secretary Rumsfeld voiced concern over Afghanistan's drug cultivation problem.

/// RUMSFELD ACT ///

"It leads to other types of crime and corruption. It is a very dangerous thing, and needless to say, the principle responsibility falls to the government."

/// END ACT ///

He said United States and other countries stand ready to take the Afghan government's lead in tackling the problem.

The remarks follow Mr. Rumsfeld's earlier statements that opium crops in Afghanistan may be used to fund anti-government militancy in the country.

Both the U.S. and Afghan governments have promised increased operations in the near future to fight the Afghan drug trade, said to account for three quarters of the world's opium poppy cultivation.

/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///

Mr. Rumsfeld also repeated his praise for Afghanistan's democratic development, including the country's first post-war presidential and parliamentary elections, slated respectively for October and April.

He said that voter registration efforts had exceeded expectations, which he said had only several months ago predicted up to five million registered voters.

/// RUMSFELD ACT 2 ///

"I visited the . Joint Election Commission today and they claimed something in excess of nine million registered voters, of which a very sizable portion are women."

/// END ACT ///

Afghan transitional President Hamid Karzai joined Secretary Rumsfeld at the news conference, saying the registration drive had succeeded in spite of efforts by insurgents to disrupt it.

/// REST OPT ///

He said Mr. Rumsfeld's many recent visits to Afghanistan were themselves proof of Afghanistan's improvements after over two decades of war.

/// KARZAI ACT ///

"Fortunately for us as a friend, he's become a frequent visitor to us, which is a good sign, which means that Afghanistan is making progress."

/// END ACT ///

While U.S. officials have not endorsed any of the 18 Afghan presidential candidates now officially registered for the election, Afghan and international media often describe Mr. Karzai as the closest to the United States. (SIGNED)

NEB/MK/RH/FC