The United States has abandoned the Pakistani proposal to have an all-Muslim force to maintain peace in Afghanistan even as Britain consented to lead the multinational team that does not include troops from any neighbouring country. The peacekeeping force comprises soldiers from Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Turkey, Bangladesh, Jordan and other countries, media reports said. US will not participate but will help the force. It has also ruled out soldiers from any neighbouring country, though Pakistan was eager to participate, American officials said. US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Berlin, where he held discussions with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, that the new peacekeeping mission would be completely different from the US military campaign in Afghanistan. However, the two missions would have to be carefully coordinated, he added. British officials hope to relinquish control of the operation to another country before the summer. Meanwhile, UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has pressed the Security Council to have the force in place in Kabul by December 22, the date the country's new interim governing council is scheduled to assume power.
Bureau Report