Brussels, 29/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - Berlin is to host, on 31 March, the third international donors' conference on Afghanistan, an event that will mark a new stage in the country's process of reconstruction. It will allow stock to be taken of what has been achieved so far and what remains to be done in order to ensure the stability and future of Afghanistan. It will also help to gain pledges about the release of new funding. Last Friday's European Council stressed in its conclusions the importance of holding free and regular elections in Afghanistan and the commitment of EU countries in favour of the country's long term development and reconstruction (see EUROPE/Documents in supplement). The message from Ambassador William Taylor, US coordinator for Afghanistan, in Berlin on Monday, was along the same lines. Mr Taylor thus reaffirmed the United States' determination to continue mobilising every means necessary for reconstruction of the country, to which it has contributed $4.2 billion since 2001. The Berlin conference is expected to result in an American pledge for a further 1.2 billion, out of a total of 4 billion for the international community as a whole.
According to Mr Taylor, it will be necessary to mobilise considerable means over the long term to ensure sustainable security. Although elections have been postponed till September because of renewed tension in the South/South East (which is still prey to the activities of Taliban factions) and the difficulty of bringing a sufficient number of voters together, Mr Taylor said he felt confident. He nonetheless stressed the fact that more military means should be deployed temporarily so that the electoral process can unfold in the best possible security conditions, saying: "Free choice should not be influenced by people with weapons. No violence. It's a high priority". He went on to recognise that the number of voters (1.6 million at the last count) was far from the 10 million expected. He noted there was a large effort to be made to increase this quota.
Concerning economic reconstruction, he evoked at length the problem of drugs (opium poppy crops generate most farm income) and the need to establish a long term conversion plan by encouraging farmers to take up alternative crops. He also announced the implementation in coming weeks and with help from the United Kingdom, of a two-phase plan with a view to destroying the poppy fields that have reached maturity. The United States thus foresees investing EUR 40 million in order to help the Afghan police carry out the eradication process. Furthermore, the neighbouring countries (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran) through which the drug transits, should be actively involved in the process and present a document to Berlin whereby they undertake to fight against the opium trade.