AFGHANISTAN: THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE FOR KABUL, LIEUTENANT GENERAL NORBERT VAN HEYST HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE.

Record ID: 292323

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE FOR KABUL, LIEUTENANT GENERAL NORBERT VAN HEYST HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE.
  • Date: 15th February 2003
  • Summary: (EU) KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FEBRUARY 15, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. WS: OF NEWS CONFERENCE. 0.06 2. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GERMAN ISAF COMMANDER LIEUTENANT GENERAL NORBERT VAN HEYST SAYING "First of all, according to the Bonn agreement, as you all know, there is a security sector, the main task according to the Bonn agreement, according to the U.N. Securi
  • Embargoed: 2nd March 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Reuters ID: LVA4Q7V7U42HGTJ9VHV3VAFGAO13
  • Story Text: The new commander of an international peacekeeping
    force for Kabul has said security of the war ravaged Afghan
    capital remains a top priority ahead of a constitutional
    assembly this year and national elections in 2004.



    German Lieutenant General Norbert van Heyst on
    Saturday (February 15) held a news conference at the
    International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters in
    the Afghan capital Kabul. It was van Heyst's first news
    conference since taking over leadership of ISAF on Monday
    (February 10, 2003).

    He told reporters he would looking to deepen cooperation
    with Afghan police and improve joint patrols in Kabul and its
    outskirts as the nation prepares for a new constitution to be
    adopted at a Loya Jirga, or grand assembly sometime this year.

    "First of all, according to the Bonn agreement, as you all
    know, there is a security sector, the main task according to
    the Bonn agreement, according to the UN Security (Council)
    resolution for Afghanistan is of course to maintain, to
    assist, you have to understand that, that seems to be for me
    one of the key words, to assist Afghanistan authorities in
    maintaining security of Kabul and the vicinity, and I think
    that they remain my main efforts," he said.

    "As you know, we started, the multinational brigade
    started what we called Joint Patrols together - with an Afghan
    policeman - and that has to be continued, and perhaps, in my
    point of view also, it has to be improved," he added.

    Security in Kabul has stabilised in recent months after a
    spate of incidents last year, including a car bombing in the
    centre of the city on September 5 that killed at least 26
    people and wounded 150 others.

    In recent days rockets apparently aimed at the
    peacekeepers' base have been fired including one that was
    aimed at a German base on Monday when it took joint charge
    with Netherlands of ISAF from Turkey.

    Germany along with Netherlands will share command of the
    ISAF for a period of at least six months. It is the first time
    that the force which was led by Britain and Turkey has a joint
    command, but Heyst said they were used to working together.

    He said the ISAF will assist preparations for the Loya
    Jirga expected sometime this year where a new constitution
    will be finalised ahead of national elections. The first draft
    of the constitution which will spell out whether Afghanistan
    will have a presidential form of government or parliamentary
    is expected anytime now.

    Once the constitution is adopted, the country will head
    into elections, expected around June 2004.

    Afghanistan's transitional government led by President
    Hamid Karzai has repeatedly sought ISAF's mandate to be
    expanded beyond Kabul to the provinces where warlords hold
    sway, but the international community has shown little
    interest.




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