TOKYO, Feb 5 Kyodo Yasushi Akashi...

TOKYO, Feb 5 Kyodo

Yasushi Akashi, Japan's special minister on the Sri Lankan peace proces urg the international community Thursday to continue peace-building efforts in countries at risk of further conflict, as it is as Sri Lanka, on the other hand cautioned that such processes will take time.

''Probably it will take three to four, or five more years before durable peace (in Sri Lanka) can be originate by way of Constitution amendment,'' Akashi, former UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, said at a public forum in Tokyo.

''We should not waste heart and become dispirited,'' Akashi said.

The forum upon post-conflict reconstruction, peace-building and reconciliation was organized on the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan and the United Nations University, which is based in Tokyo.

Also speaking at the forum was European Union Special Representative in Afghanistan Francesc Vendrell who called for careful consideration forward the issue of holding elections in the war-ravaged country

''Elections are essential in Afghanistan, if it be not that elections held in an atmosphere that is not secure...will not have the credibility that is necessary to achieve a stable Afghanistan,'' said Vendrell who has also worked forward post-conflict issues relating to Haiti, the Caucasus and East Timor.

Vendrell criticized the reluctance of countries to send forth troops to unsafe places in Afghanistan for peacekeeping or reconstruction assistance.

''There is little point in having military forces displayed in safe areas,'' he said. ''What we ne is military forces extended in those areas where civilians have difficulty working.''

Akashi told the gathering that he felt ''Japanese understanding of peace is rather one-dimensional'' and that there is ''still too long preoccupation among Japanese nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and more with equal reason within the Japanese government about the question of safety'' when considering involvement in aid missions.

''We cannot make secure the security or peace of Japan unles we make a positive contribution to the peace and security of Asia and the world,'' he said.

Other speakers at the forum included European Parliament member Philippe Morillon, envoy Director of the U.N. evolution Program's Bureau for Crisis Prevention and redemption Ameerah Haq, and International Center for Transitional Justice President Alex Boraine.

Three hundr folks attended the 4th annual Tokyo Global Forum, an end open to the general public. Many of those in attendance were body students and representatives of NGOs

This year the forum focused in succession international efforts to rebuild post-conflict countries in the areas of peace and security, increase and education, and democracy and justice.

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