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Int'l community should support "effective" Afghan state, says UK official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Feb 26, IRNA -- There cannot be a purely military solution to the fight against insurgency in Afghanistan so the international community should support establishment of an “effective and enduring” Afghan state, a British official said.

“Our primary objective must be to support the establishment of an effective, resilient and enduring Afghan state,” said Douglas Alexander, the British secretary for international development.

He told the one-day London conference on “Afghanistan: Our Country, Our Future” that the international community should support the people of Afghanistan in creating a lasting political settlement.

“We should also support Afghanistan in delivering the basic functions that a state must carry out in order to survive and engaging with the expectations and aspirations of citizens.”

Referring to a poll recently carried out by the BBC and ABC in Afghanistan, Alexander said 90 per cent of Afghanis oppose the Taliban and 85 per cent others believe the Taliban have weak or no significant support in their area.

“Yet the figures show us that people are worried about security, corruption and the effect that the global economic downturn will have on their country.”

Alexander added that the British government has been supporting the Afghan government in order to “improve its capacity to govern and strengthen the connection between the citizen and state”.

Also addressing the conference co-hosted by the British Afghan Women’s Society, James Wright the Canadian high commissioner in London said this year’s presidential elections in Afghanistan presents “a unique opportunity to consolidate the country’s young democratic institutions.”

Wright said the Afghan government should begin taking the ownership of its own security and delivering essential services to the Afghan people.

“It is also time for the international community to renew its commitment to the Afghan mission and assist with Afghanistan’s reconstruction,” he said.

Wright added that his country supports the new US plan to reinforce more troops in Afghanistan, saying that “it will help provide a more secure environment for the benefit of Afghan people.”

He however said US military and financial help should be designed to “reinforce” and not “replace” our collective efforts.

“Regional players must be also engaged and encouraged to play a constructive role and military efforts should be accompanied by robust development and capacity-building.”

Referring to Canada’s commitments towards Afghanistan, the high commissioner said Afghan’s national security forces and government institutions should be reinforces while more effective border engagement should be promoted.

Several other prominent figures including Afghan Ambassador to Britain Mohammad Rahim Sherzoy, Helmand Governor Gulab Mangal and human rights commissioner Soraya Sobhrang also addressed the conference co-organised by the Canadian High Commission in Britain.