§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) members and (b) representatives of the provisional government of Afghanistan on the (i) security situation and (ii) requirements for increased foreign involvement in Afghanistan in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [175756]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe regularly discuss these issues with the Afghan Transitional Administration at a range of levels. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Kabul in March this year and discussed issues including security and foreign involvement in Afghanistan with various members and representatives of the Afghan government.
This followed a similar visit in July 2003. The Foreign Secretary also addressed these issues with President Karzai and members of his government during the President's visit to the UK in June 2003. I visited Kabul in October 2003 and also met President Karzai and other members of the Afghan government in Berlin on 1 April 2004. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) visited Kabul on 4–6 May this year and met President Karzai and other Ministers.
The security situation remains a problem, particularly in the South and East. Sporadic attacks continue against both international and Afghan forces, as well as the UN and NGOs. Fighting between Afghan forces also occurs. The international community, including the UK, is responding with increased commitments of troops and resources, including by extending the 1812W network of Provincial Reconstruction Teams. In the long-term, Afghanistan must be able to maintain its own security, through an effective national army and police force. Work to recruit and train those has been under way for some time, with the UK's active support and involvement.
On 1 March 2004 DFID announced (an increase of the UK's commitment, from £200 million over five years to at least £500 million over the same period. This funding is to support a range of reconstruction work, support for conflict prevention, and the counter-narcotics effort. A booklet outlining DFID's program in Afghanistan has been placed in the Library of the House. International donors demonstrated their commitment to Afghanistan at the Berlin Conference held on 31 March—1 April 2004 by pledging US$8.2 billion of assistance over the next three years. This represents two thirds of Afghanistan's requirements over this period. We hope that the full requirement will be met through more money becoming available from donors that were only able to make one-year pledges in Berlin.
§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of developments over the last 12 months of the security situation in(a) central, (b) northern, (c) eastern, (d) western and (e) southern Afghanistan; what recommendations concerning troop contributions his Department has made; and if he will make a statement. [175757]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienCentral Afghanistan, in general, is reasonably secure, assisted by the presence of the New Zealand-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) based in Bamiyan and the new PRT in Oruzgan Province. Northern Afghanistan is generally stable but is subject to long-standing tensions between the two biggest factions in the region. The UK-led PRT based in Mazar-e Sharif has helped defuse tensions and a second UK-led PRT is now being established in Faryab Province. There tend to be fewer security incidents in the west. A flare-up of fighting in Herat followed the death of the Afghan Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism in March but units of the Afghan National Army (ANA) calmed the situation.
Security in the south and east is worrying. There have been murders of international and Afghan aid workers. Seven PRTs have been established in the south and east to help improve the security environment. Coalition forces and units of the ANA continue to pursue terrorists, especially along the border with Pakistan. The Pakistani army is playing its part in ensuring that perpetrators of attacks in Afghanistan cannot easily find refuge in Pakistan.
The international community, including the UK, is responding to the need for security with increased commitments of troops and resources. Additional PRTs are the key to expanding the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The UK has agreed to lead a second PRT and provide a Forward Support Base for all PRTs in the North. But ISAF expansion can only proceed once NATO's statement of requirements is fully met. We are pressing other nations to contribute the resources needed to meet remaining shortfalls.
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§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) members and (b) representatives of the provisional Government of Afghanistan concerning the timing of elections; and if he will make a statement. [175758]
§ Mr. MacShaneWe regularly discuss arrangements for the elections with members of the Afghan Transitional Administration (ATA) at all levels; I discussed this subject with President Karzai and other members of the ATA in Berlin on 1 April.
President Karzai announced on 28 March that national elections would be held in September 2004. The Joint Elections Monitoring Board, a joint Afghan Government and UN body, is currently leading preparations while an electoral law is finalised. The UK is committed to supporting the electoral process. Last year we contributed £10.55 million to support election registration, we have pledged a further £0.5 million for voter education and £2.77 million to support preparations for the elections themselves. We are working with the UN, international partners and NATO to consider how the international community can assist and can support the Afghan Government in delivering security for the election process.