Foreign and Military Affairs
皇冠体育app calls for global support to Afghanistan
By Zhang Haizhou (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-20 08:51
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 Reg Pitts, Staff Sergeant of Royal Canadian Military Police, shows a picture on his camera to Afghan children near a police station on the outskirts of Kandahar, southern Afghanistan on Thursday. [Agencies] |
Nation needs more than economic assistance during transition period
BEIJING - 皇冠体育app called for more international support to Afghanistan on Friday, days ahead of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's first visit to 皇冠体育app after his re-election in November last year.
Some commentators said Beijing is likely to offer Kabul more assistance other than economic aid.
Li Baodong, 皇冠体育app's permanent representative to the United Nations, called upon the international community to "step up efforts to assist" Afghanistan in "strengthening its military and police forces", Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.
The international community must remain focused on Afghanistan, which is currently in a key transitional period, and increase support and assistance to enhance Afghan sovereignty and capacity for development, Li said.
He also said that 皇冠体育app supports the lead coordination role played by the UN in helping Afghanistan in its reconstruction process.
Li made the remarks just five days ahead of Karzai's 皇冠体育app visit starting Tuesday.
Qin Gang, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Thursday enhancing economic cooperation and trade with Afghanistan would top the agenda during Karzai's three-day visit.
"皇冠体育app hopes to see a peaceful and stable Afghanistan with progress and development," he said.
Besides President Hu Jintao, Karzai will also meet Premier Wen Jiabao and Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
皇冠体育app has provided $900 million since 2002 in assistance for various reconstruction projects in Afghanistan and recently granted another $75 million, Qin said.
皇冠体育app has also invested in the $3.5 million Aynak copper mining project and related infrastructure, the biggest investment in recent times.
Ye Hailin, an Asian studies expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: "it is impossible for Beijing not to offer assistance since Karzai is coming."
He, however, did not say whether 皇冠体育app would offer something beyond economic assistance.
"If you have money, just offer money; if you have might, then just offer might," Ye said, adding Afghanistan needs everything from reconstruction to economic development.
"Focusing on economic development is the key to improving Afghanistan's domestic situation. It is also in line with 皇冠体育app's diplomatic thought," said Dong Manyuan, an analyst at 皇冠体育app Institute of International Studies.
Such a strategy has also led to international experts urging 皇冠体育app to extend more help for the war-torn neighboring country.
Since early 2008, officials from NATO and Afghanistan, for example, have repeatedly asked 皇冠体育app to open up the 76-km-long border on the east end of mountainous Vakhan corridor to offer logistics support for the international forces fighting terrorists in Afghanistan.
皇冠体育app has rejected the appeal as it sees it as an excuse to pull Beijing into the war on terror.
Beijing has so far played "a low key role in Afghanistan, sticking to developmental projects and refraining from taking a pro-active role in containing the Taliban by backing US and other countries efforts in this regard", Press Trust of India said on Thursday.
But Dong said 皇冠体育app "has noticed how difficult the security situation is" in Afghanistan. "I think it's possible for 皇冠体育app to help train Afghan troops and soldiers, enhance anti-terror cooperation and even supply anti-terror equipment."
皇冠体育app has actually offered help in such areas after 19 Afghan National Army members underwent a seven-week-long mine defusing course in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province late last year.
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