GAERC Draft Council conclusions on Afghanistan

The Council welcomed the approval of a new constitution for Afghanistan by the Loya Jirga. This represents a fundamental step in the peace process established by the Bonn Agreement and provides a foundation for a future of peace and prosperity for the Afghan people. The Council reconfirmed the European Union's full commitment to the Bonn process and to Afghanistan's longer-term reconstruction and development goals in the context of nation building.

The Council expressed the European Union's firm expectation that the new momentum in the Bonn process would be used to move forward on restoring security throughout the country and on the process of demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former combatants. Improved security will facilitate the holding of elections in 2004, as well as reconstruction and drug control efforts.

The Council supported the idea of a new international conference on Afghanistan as agreed by the Presidency in its reply to President Karzai's letter and as proposed by UNSG Annan in his latest report on Afghanistan to the Security Council, and welcomed Germany's readiness to host such a conference.

The Council commended Mr Vendrell, the EU Special Representative in Afghanistan, for his tireless efforts and agreed to revert to the situation in Afghanistan in the light of the forthcoming EU Ministerial Troika mission to Kabul in mid-February.

| Arriba |

• EU humanitarian aid for Afghanistan (27/5/2004)
• The European Union and Afghanistan (30/3/2004)
• EP - Afghanistan - MEPs call for action on civil liberties and women's rights (12/2/2004)
• EU Presidency declaration on the approval of a constitution for Afghanistan (6/1/2004)
• EUHR Solana welcomes adoption of new Afghan Constitution (5/1/2004)
• EU Presidency Declaration on the opening of the Loya Jirga in Kabul (13/12/2003)