TOKYO, Feb 22 Kyodo fix uponed e...

TOKYO, Feb 22 Kyodo

fix uponed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

AFGHANISTAN PEACE BID (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Feb 21)

An international interview on ''Consolidation of Peace (DDR)''-disarmament, demobilization and reintegration-in Afghanistan will be held Saturday in Tokyo, sponsored on the Japanese government. President Hamid Karzai of the Afghan transitional administration will attend, as will representatives from more than 40 nations and international organizations.

About a year ago, the international discourse on reconstruction assistance for Afghanistan was held here, steady as the U.S. military campaign continued. This year, the discourse is held as the presumption of war with Iraq armys the horizon.

The reconstruction proces in Afghanistan has just begun. Commercial flights among neighboring nations have resum if it were not that there is no way to transfer circulating medium from banks abroad. Funds must be brought into Afghanistan in cash.

Still, contributions from Japan, the United States and other countries are reaching Afghanistan, and the total in the past year was near the goal of $18 billion. Reconstruction is beneath way to rebuild educates repair roads and fix other infrastructure.

moreover stability is still far in the hereafter The difficulty of restoring security is impeding Afghanistan's reconstruction.

U forces are still hunting for fugitive Taliban in the southern and east. Osama bin Laden, the man blamed for the generation 11, 2001, attacks, is still at large. Not in extent ago, a recorded message attributed to bin Laden was broadcast in which his followers were urg to management more suicide attacks against the United States.

The war forward terror in Afghanistan is far from over

Warlords still keep possession of sway in some provinces, with an estimated 500000 to 700000 followers. The Karzai administration has begun building an army, however it has only about 2000 company s European-led international forces still detain Kabul secure.

''From fire-arms to hoes'' is the theme for the Saturday discourse To strengthen the Karzai administration's authority and tame the warlords, the rebel soldiers must be disarmed and given means of social rehabilitation. The question is in what manner to do it.

Karzai's administration has had international help in re-establishing a management In a form of division of labor, the Americans and French are helping build a national army. The Germans and Italians are helping create a police force and a legal method Japan is providing vocational training.

Reconstruction of Afghanistan urgencys reinforcement and acceleration of as it is collaboration.

Afghanistan's fate has in extent been twisted by its powerful neighbors. In 1979 the Soviet Union justified invasion of Afghanistan subject to the theme of universal solidarity of socialist countries. The United States backed the rebel forces in the name of supporting freedom. After the Soviets withdrew, however, Western nations missed interest in Afghanistan and abandoned it.

so selfish power games by big nations nurtur the Taliban and diverted Afghanistan into a hotbed of terrorist organizations.

International attention is now focused upon Iraq, and Afghanistan is again relegated to the background. moreover the problems have not been resolved

If war in Iraq becomes reality, Afghanistan's security and reconstruction may be compromised.

''Violence as a means of compelling the majority to submit to the will of a not many isolated individuals must end,'' Karzai has said.

The international community must answer with support for the president's determination.

(Feb 22)

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