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Powell hopes Afghanistan can hold elections in 2004
Washington, Aug 12: US Secretary of State Colin Powell has expressed hope that the constitutional process in Afghanistan will be completed soon and elections will be held in that country next year.
Washington, Aug 12: US Secretary of State Colin
Powell has expressed hope that the constitutional process in
Afghanistan will be completed soon and elections will be held
in that country next year.
"It is a difficult goal to achieve," he said, speaking at
a joint appearance yesterday with UN envoy to Afghanistan
Lakhdar Brahimi," but, working with my colleagues, I hope we
will be able to achieve it."
Powell said that he is very pleased with "the progress...
Made in Afghanistan" and that "we are looking at ways of
accelerating our work with more resources, resources both in
terms of money and other assets that we can put to the task of
rebuilding the country."
Brahimi said that with the support of the United States
and the international community, there is reason for optimism
that the people of Afghanistan eventually will be able to
"stand on their own two feet."
He also called for an expansion of the deployment of the
international security assistance force for Afghanistan to
areas outside Kabul.
Pointing out that Nato has taken over the leadership of ISAF (International Security Force for Afghanistan), Brahimi said "we are, in the united nations, very much in favour of more international support for the security of Afghanistan."
"We would welcome a discussion on the expansion of ISAF or any other means of providing that support that i believe is necessary," he added.
Bureau Report