Paris, 19 May 2009 – Meeting in Paris on 6 May the Defence Committee of the European Security and Defence Assembly/Assembly of WEU adopted a report entitled “The war in Afghanistan: what strategy for Europe?” to be submitted by French parliamentarians Mr Jean-Pierre Kucheida (Socialist Group) and Mrs Françoise Hostalier (Federated Group of Christian Democrats and European Democrats) at the Assembly’s next plenary session to be held in Paris from 2 to 4 June.

During a lively debate in committee, Mr Kucheida stressed that “civilian assistance rather military operations is the guarantee of our success in Afghanistan”. Mrs Hostalier noted that the economic situation in Afghanistan was not at the moment conducive to social development. Committee members voted almost unanimously (with one abstention) in favour of the draft recommendation after several amendments were made in the meeting.

An ad-hoc subcommittee of the Defence Committee, comprising the President of the Assembly, Mr Robert Walter MP (United Kingdom), the Chairman of the Defence Committee, Mr Doug Henderson MP (United Kingdom), and the two Rapporteurs on Afghanistan, went on a fact-finding mission to Kabul from 12 to 14 May.

The active commitment of the international community was evident during the subcommittee’s two-day visit as they met with political and military officials from Afghanistan, Europe, the United States and other countries.

Among numerous other Afghan and foreign figures, diplomats and civilian and military experts, the subcommittee held meetings in particular with Mr Ettore Francesco Sequi (Italy), the European Union Special Representative, Mr Fernando Gentilini (Italy), NATO Senior Civilian Representative, Lieutenant General Jim Dutton (United Kingdom), Deputy Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), General Abdul Rahim Wardak, Defence Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and Mr Mohammad Yunis Qanuni, Speaker of the Wolesi Jirga (Afghanistan’s lower house of parliament).

The subcommittee had the opportunity to visit ISAF’s Camp Warehouse and the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC), where the Afghan National Army undergoes training, and to exchange views there with Afghan trainee officers and soldiers.

The subcommittee saw the progress made on the ground since 2006 – when a subcommittee of the Defence Committee last visited the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – by the Afghan authorities in reconstructing the Afghan state and society with the assistance of the United States, ISAF, the European Union, the United Nations and other national and foreign actors.

Speaking on behalf of the Assembly and its constituent European national parliamentarians, the members of the subcommittee expressed support for the Afghan Government’s commitment, and that of the countries and organisations working alongside it, to building a democratic, united, prosperous and peaceful Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

This parliamentary report with its accompanying political recommendations completed in the light of this fact-finding mission to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and addressed to the WEU and EU governments will be debated and put to the vote at the Assembly’s plenary session (from 2 to 4 June, at the Palais d’Iéna, Paris).

If you wish to attend the plenary session, please contact Assembly Press Counsellor Corine Caballero-Bourdot (ccaballero@assembly.weu.int).