Azadi Afghan Radio’s
exclusive interview with Francesc Vendrell, UN Secretary-General’s Personal
Representative and head of Special Missions to Afghanistan, conducted at the UN
in New York, and released on March 4, 2000. Excerpts transcribed by Hassina Sherjan-Samad.
(c)
AAR: Mr. Vendrell, what have you
learned from your first trip and mission to Afghanistan and the region,
completed just recently?
Vendrell:
The first
thing I learned was the extent of the misery of the Afghan people. My first
task will be to help the Afghan people. Above all, that means trying to achieve
peace. Certainly, I am quite clear the task is not an easy one. The Afghan
conflict is not only a national conflict, it is also a regional conflict, and
it has global dimensions. So you have to try to bring about a situation where
the two main Afghan sides, other Afghans who are fighting for freedom and
peace, as well as the regional countries and outside powers cooperate in
bringing about a peaceful solution to the Afghan misery.
Q: There is talk of renewed
fighting and each [warring] side accuses the other for making preparations for
a new offensive. There are also reports of hundreds of new foreign recruits
coming form Pakistan to fight alongside the Taliban. What can you tell us about
these developments?
A: Of course I have heard
these reports. I have no way of verifying them... I am talking now about the
presence of non-Afghans fighting for either side. I am very concerned about
renewed fighting... It will be difficult to stop it anytime soon. I think it
requires, first of all, the political parties to stop fighting, and I am not
sure if these commitments are there yet. Secondly, we require some kind of
third-party verification for a cease-fire. Because a cease-fire that has no international
verification is not likely to last.
Q: You have talked of
continued arms transfers from the outside to Afghanistan. Mr. [Lakhdar] Brahimi
(the former UN peace envoy for Afghanistan) was more specific in this regard.
Can you also be more specific?
A:
I cannot be
more specific than Mr. Brahimi. The information I have is similar to the one
Mr. Brahimi wrote in his report. The only comment I would make is to say that
the UN and the Secretary-General are opposed to any kind of military support
for the Afghan parties... Any supply of weapons is deeply regrettable.
Q: In his last report [to the
UN] Mr. Brahimi talked of foreign citizens, some whom had even been captured
and killed during past fighting in Afghanistan. What do you know, and what do
you intend to do about this?
A:
Then I know
exactly as Mr. Brahimi.... yes it appears to be the case that there are foreign
citizens fighting in Afghanistan. I have been told by all the governments in
the region that they do not wish to see their citizens fighting in the Afghan
conflict. But the question is, what are they doing in an attempt to prevent
that? This will be something that needs to be discussed with them in future
months.
Q: Many people consider that
the UN’s Afghan aid coordinator, Mr. De Mul, is following his personal agenda,
contrary to UN guidelines, to show a different image of the Taliban. Are you
aware of this?
A: I know Mr. De Mul very
well, and I don’t believe for one moment that he has his own personal agenda. I
think he considers that he is working in the best interest of the Afghan people
and of the UN.
Q: What is your opinion of the
so-called Rome and Cyprus [peace] processes?
A: I think they are honest
attempts to find a peaceful solution. To the extent that they are an honest
attempt, the UN encourages such approaches.
AAR: Thank you Mr. Vendrell for
responding to our questions at such short notice.
[Azadi Afghan Radio - - 703.790.6977 -USA]