Global Policy Forum

Afghan Administration Open to Expanded

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Agence France Presse
January 27, 2002

Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai said he is open to the idea of expanding the work of the international security force now protecting Kabul as another official said the administration would consider keeping the forces past their current six-month mandate.


"All the delegations I've received from the countryside have asked me to send the security force all over the country, and I don't see why not," Karzai told Newsweek magazine in an interview due on newsstands Monday.

In Washington, foreign ministry spokesman Omar Samad said the administration is primarily focused on "establishing peace and security as soon as possible all over the country, not just in one city or two, or one region or two, but all over the country."

Samad echoed Karzai's statement that the Afghan administration would consider expanding the international force as well as "extending it beyond the six months that has already been assigned under the United Nations Security Council resolution."

He said that in order to reach "an Afghan consensus" on an increased international presence, "both the international community and the Afghans have to show their willingness in case it's needed."

"So it all depends, it's conditional on if we need still the presence of international forces in Afghanistan," after the current six month mandate is over, he said.

The British-led force is expected to be about 4,500 strong by mid-February.

UN officials have suggested as many as 30,000 troops could be needed to stabilize the whole country.

Samad said the interim administration sees security as "part of the whole reconstruction package." "Obviously, the Afghan forces have to be organized under a structure that hopefully in the future will mean that we will have a national army, a national security or police force for the local disputes that arise," he said.

Karzai, who is scheduled to arrive on his first trip to the United States on Sunday, said he intended to go to "ground zero" in New York and bring flowers to the site where the demolished twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood.

But he described the upcoming visit as basically "a sentimental trip." Samad said Karzai will be traveling with seven ministers, including those of education, public works and labor, who are "in charge of ministries that are important to their counterparts in the United States and to US assistance programs now and in the future in Afghanistan."

Samad said the interim leader would stay in the United States until Wednesday or Thursday and may be a guest of US President George W. Bush for his first state of the union address on Tuesday.

"That would be a great honor for him and the other Afghans," Samad said.

In addition to seeking aid and assistance for rebuilding his war-torn nation, Karzai will ask for "closer and greater coordination" between the US military and Afghan authorities. "Overall there is good communication," he said. But, "we believe that any military engagement in Afghanistan should involve all sides at least on the consultative level."


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FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.