EUHR Solana's intervention at the Petersberg Conference on Afghanistan

Sommaire: December 2, 2002: Summary of the intervention by Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy at the Second Petersberg Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan (Bonn)

Remarkable progress has been achieved in Afghanistan since the first Petersberg Conference a year ago. Afghanistan has re-emerged as a sovereign state and is consolidating its position within the family of nations.

The EU commends the efforts made so far by President Karzai's Government to implement the Bonn Agreement. We support the UN - and in particular Mr Brahimi - in its important tasks in Afghanistan. We reconfirm our commitment to assist President Karzai and his Government, and fully support today's declaration.

The EU has been one of the key donors from the very beginning and will remain committed to Afghanistan's reconstruction and development.

However, a lot remains to be done. Key issues where progress needs to be made in order to ensure viable peace and stability in Afghanistan are:

1. It is of utmost importance that the country unites and that all local leaders help to build the nation. In view of longer-term reconstruction and stabilisation efforts, it is necessary that the state of Afghanistan gain full control of all Armed and Security Forces in the country. It is important that the Defence Commission and the ATA (Afghanistan Transitional Authority) reach an early agreement on the structure of the future army.

The donor community and the ATA should coordinate assistance efforts in a way that enhances the role of the central authority.
Police, including anti-narcotic units and border police, are essential for securing law and order and establishing normal conditions for collection of regular taxes and customs fees to the ATA's hands.
The EU is fully committed to supporting the ATA in these areas.

2. It is equally important that Afghanistan's neighbours continue to play a constructive role in consolidating Afghanistan. Regional stability will be endangered, if traditional alliance of outside actors with old favourite ethnic leaders is not yielded in favour of the Afghan Transitional Authority. We support the idea of a Non-interference Declaration and urge all neighbouring states to join it. The UN Security Council should ensure regular follow-up of the Declaration.

Flow of heavy weapons and small arms outside the control of ATA must be stopped.
Outside reconstruction assistance should be coordinated through established structures and not benefit anti-government forces.

3. One of our top priorities should be the continued fighting of the "poppy" production. Although production fell sharply in 2001, it is now once again on the rise. The UN information on the opium production in Afghanistan shows that Afghanistan in 2002 is once again the world's major source of opium, providing over 70% of the world's total. It is crucial that international donors play an enhanced role in developing a drug strategy focussing on institution building, effective law enforcement, demand reduction, and judicial reform. The EU will together with other donors continue to contribute to reducing poppy cultivation and distribution. We particularly support the UK lead role in the drug strategy.

4. Last, but not least, the capacity of the Afghan State has to be enforced. The EU will enhance its support for the creation of a viable Afghan state based on democracy, rule of law and universal standards of human rights. EU Member States continue active engagement in the build-up of the national institutions related to rule of law and internal and external security. Armed forces of EU Member States remain committed to a significant European contribution to the ISAF - as of 2003 a German/Netherlands command will take over from the Turkish command - and coalition activities. For their part we expect the Afghan Government to speed up formulation of the new Constitution.

The next couple of years will be decisive in the history of the reborn Afghanistan. It is vital to hold the elections in 2004 in accordance with the Bonn Agreement. The legitimacy of the state authorities needs to be on a solid ground so that reconstruction of the political and economic system can be secured as a long-term effort.
In order to be able to implement this task a proper legal system, including the constitution and electoral laws, need to be in place in time so that political life can evolve within a solid framework.
The key to all this is security, above all successful anti-terrorist action by the coalition, ISAF activities and the increasing Afghan ownership of security through the build-up of a national capacity.

5. What has EU contributed since the Petersberg Conference one year ago?

At the Tokyo Conference (January 2002), the EU as a whole (EU and Member States) pledged 2.3 billion Euro for reconstruction over the period 2002-2006.
The key aims of the EU assistance to Afghanistan are

1. to support the immediate tasks of stabilisation and reconstruction
2. to improve the availability and access to food, countering the chronic food insecurity in the country, that is the result from drought and war, as well as providing alternatives to poppy production
3. to support sustainable return of internally displaced persons and refugees.
For 2002, the EU as a whole (EU and Member States) has committed about 830 million Euro. To date, about 530 million Euro has been disbursed.

Ref: CL02-052EN
Source UE: Conseil
UN forum:
Date: 2/12/2002

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