HL Deb 23 January 2003 vol 643 cc113-4WA
Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the statement by Lord Bach on 17 December 2002 (WA101) that "Security in Afghanistan is primarily the responsibility of the Afghans themselves", whether they consider the Afghan administration to be capable of meeting that responsibility effectively at present; and, if not, when they envisage that it will be able to do so. [HL1088]

Baroness Amos

The Afghan authorities are making progress towards being able to meet their own security requirements. We believe that the best way to help them achieve this is by supporting demobilisation and disarmament of militias, building an accountable and multi-ethnic national army and police force under democratic control, stamping out the drugs trade and rebuilding the legal system. But this is a long-term process requiring the help of the international community. It is not possible at this stage to determine an exact date by which it will be complete.