Afghanistan (Hansard, 20 November 2001)

§ Mr. Ancram
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made regarding the(a) religious make-up and (b) ethnic make-up of Afghanistan; and what is his policy on the role of each of the (i) religions and (ii) ethnic groupings within Afghanistan in a future Government of Afghanistan. [15607]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
Afghanistan has an immensely complex social tapestry. That complexity has been increased by the disruption of almost 20 years of continual warfare involving the movement of population both within and out of the country and whose effects are not yet properly documented. Traditionally, the main communities have been described as Pashtun (c. 38 per cent.), Tajik (c. 25 per cent.), Hazara (c. 19 per cent.), Uzbek (c. 6 per cent.) with the balance being made up of a patchwork of smaller groups. About 99 per cent. of the population are Muslims divided between Sunni (c. 84 per cent.) and Shia (c. 15 per cent.) adherents: the Hazara constitute almost all the Shia population.
The Government welcome the new UNSCR 1378 (2001) which sets out the international community's road map for a broad-based successor government to the Taliban regime, which should be multi-ethnic and fully representative of all the Afghan people.

§ Mr. Ancram
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he has met the(a) Head of the Cabinet's Defence and Overseas Secretariat, Robert Cooper, and (b) UN special representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, since 11 September; and what was discussed during each of these meetings. [15611]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The Secretary of State met the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, several times at the recent UN General Assembly 185W (including at the open Security Council meeting on 13 November). They discussed the UN's role in a post-Taliban Afghanistan.
Robert Cooper, the UK Co-ordinator for the Future of Afghanistan, has met the Secretary of State frequently since the 11 September attacks (most recently on 19 November). They discussed all aspects of the crisis.

§ Mr. Ancram
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions he has discussed the prospect of a United Nations monitoring force for Afghanistan with the Government of Turkey; and what was discussed. [15608]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
During his visit to Turkey on 17–18 October, the Secretary of State discussed a wide range of issues related to the current crisis with the Turkish Foreign Minister Cem. He has since met Foreign Minister Cem at the UN General Assembly on 12 November.

§ Mr. Llwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the coalition against terrorism's proposals for UN intervention in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [15493]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
We and the US have strongly supported a UN role in Afghanistan. We welcome the new UN Security Council Resolution 1378 (2001), which was unanimously adopted on 14 November and sets out the international community's vision for the future of Afghanistan.
Inter alia, the resolution outlined the principles that should govern the formation of a new administration in Afghanistan. It affirmed that the UN would play a central role in supporting the efforts of the Afghan people to establish such an administration. And it encouraged UN member states to support efforts to ensure the safety and security of areas of Afghanistan no longer under Taliban control, and in particular to ensure respect for Kabul as the capital for all Afghan people, and especially to protect civilians, transitional authorities, United Nations and associated personnel, as well as personnel of humanitarian organisations.
We have also discussed with the UN Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, a number of other proposals, including for possible UN roles in security, which might be appropriate at some stage.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries that support the international coalition's actions in Afghanistan. [15824]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) today,Official Report, column 182W.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations on the creation of a multi-national force to provide peacekeeping in Afghanistan. [15826]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
During my visit to New York for the UN General Assembly from 10–16 November, I held consultations with the UN Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, on the future of Afghanistan, including what possible186W security arrangements might be appropriate at some stage. We are fully supportive of Ambassador Brahimi's efforts to resolve these issues.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UN Security Council's role in relation to the international coalition's actions in Afghanistan. [15825]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
In response to the 11 September attacks, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1368 (2001) on 12 September 2001, in which it stated that it would hold accountable those indirectly responsible—those who aid, support or harbour the perpetrators—as well as those directly responsible. This resolution also reaffirmed the right of self-defence, enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Coalition military action has been undertaken in self-defence to avert further terrorist attacks.
We and the US both notified the Security Council of the action when it began in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
On 14 November, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1378 (2001), which sets out the international community's vision for the future of Afghanistan. Inter alia, the resolution encourages member states to support efforts to ensure the safety and security of areas of Afghanistan no longer under Taliban control, and in particular to ensure respect for Kabul as the capital for all the Afghan people, and especially to protect civilians, transitional authorities, United Nations and associated personnel, as well as personnel of humanitarian organisations.