HC Deb 30 October 2001 vol 373 cc600-2W
19. Mr. Beard

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on policy towards establishing a stable Government in Afghanistan. [8803]

Peter Hain

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has set out four principlesThe future should be placed in the hands of the people of Afghanistan themselves; We need a global coalition to help rebuild Afghanistan; The UN should take the lead in the political process; We have to devote the resources and political will needed to finish the job.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan. [11303]

Mr. Bradshaw

Mr. Brahimi visited London on 9 October and met my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the International Development Secretary. We have maintained regular contact. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Lakhdar Brahimi by telephone on 22 October. Brahimi agreed with the Foreign Secretary's four principles on the future of Afghanistan, namely:

  • The Afghan people must determine their own destiny;
  • The international community should form a coalition to help;
  • The UN should play a leading role in any transition;
  • Resources should be devoted to complete the task.

The Foreign Secretary informed Brahimi of Paul Bergne's appointment as the Prime Minister's Personal Representative for Afghan Affairs. The Foreign Secretary and Brahimi agreed to stay in close touch.

Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts were maintained by his Department with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan prior to 11 September. [11442]

Mr. Bradshaw

HMG's policy is to recognise states, not governments. We have maintained contacts with all factions in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, but do not and did not prior to 11 September have normal government to government dealings with any of them.

Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan; what assessment he has made of their political aims; and if he will make a statement. [11437]

Mr. Bradshaw

British officials maintain regular contact with the Northern Alliance through the Chargé d'Affaires at the Afghan Embassy in London and officials have had a range of contacts with other members of the Northern Alliance including in Afghanistan and during visits by them to Europe. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently appointed Paul Bergne as his Personal Representative for Afghan Affairs who will be travelling in the region and meeting with representatives of the Northern Alliance to discuss the immediate political situation in Afghanistan and their aims.

Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that representatives of Afghan women's organisations are involved in the discussions about the composition of a post-Taliban Government. [11302]

Mr. Bradshaw

Any future Afghan government must be broad-based and representative of the great diversity of the country's ethnic groupings. The form of that government and the process leading to its establishment must be up to the Afghan people themselves. However, the international community has to engage with the widest possible range of community leaders within Afghanistan, which would include women's organisations. We would expect any future government to respect the internationally agreed norms of behaviour towards its own citizens.