Letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign
and Commonwealth Affairs from the Chairman
The Clerk of the Committee has written to the
Head of PRDD today, raising a number of points which, arise from
your Response to the Committee's latest Report on Foreign Policy
Aspects of the War against Terrorism.
I am writing on two additional points, which
arise both from our study of that Response and from the Committee's
recent visit to Afghanistan.
In conclusion 57, the Committee commended the
Government's success in establishing a PRT in northern Afghanistan.
Our recent visit to Mazar-e-Sharif reinforced us in that view.
However, we remain concerned, both from what we read in the press
and—more importantly—from what we heard from many
different sources in Afghanistan, that NATO is unable to make
a sufficient commitment to security in Afghanistan. The failure
of NATO member states either to enter into sufficiently strong
commitments, or to deliver on the commitments they have already
entered into—exacerbated by the restricted caveats under
which some of the forces which are in theatre operate—is,
I fear, placing the success of NATO's first out-of-area operation
in severe jeopardy.
Another concern, which was raised in the course
of last week's debate in Westminster Hall, relates to the provision
of international funding to enable Afghanistan's first free presidential
and parliamentary elections to take place in September. The Committee
heard on its visit how important it is that these elections go
ahead as planned, and that they are successful. We also heard
that some UN member states have so far failed to deliver on their
promises to contribute to the necessary funds.
I would welcome your observations on both these
worrying situations, and an indication of what the United Kingdom
is doing to persuade its allies to live up to their responsibilities.
Rt Hon Donald Anderson MP
Chairman of the Committee
26 May 2004
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