SHANGHAI (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Secretary of State Colin Powell outlined his vision on Wednesday of how stability could be brought to a post-Taliban Afghanistan using the United Nations, Afghan factions and emigres, and peacekeepers.(Read photo caption below)
``We may see a political vacuum immediately, or sort of a deteriorating situation that leads to a political vacuum,'' he said, referring to the likely impact of any collapse of the Taliban, under U.S. bombardment for sheltering Osama bin Laden, chief suspect in attacks on New York and Washington Sept. 11.
``I think what we're going to need...is some sort of broad-based assemblage of individuals, leaders, representing all aspects of Afghan society who'll come together with a common purpose, perhaps using the position of the king as a rallying point,'' he said.
``I think there probably will be a role for peacekeepers of some kind and that's part of our discussions,'' Powell told reporters en route to the 21-nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in China.
Meanwhile and after a Security Council meeting on Tuesday with Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. special envoy for Afghanistan, U.N. officials and diplomats said any suggestions by the Afghan opposition of U.N. peacekeepers had been pushed far into the future.
U.N. officials for now are privately ruling out peacekeepers. But Turkey has volunteered to lead a Muslim security force if Afghans agree, diplomats said.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the former Algerian foreign minister has the primary role in shaping a government from Afghan opposition factions and probably moderate elements of the Taliban.
Powell envisaged the use of the United Nations as the facilitating body that will help Afghans go back into the country, provide a sense of order, and have the U.N. perhaps perform some sort of interim role as the Afghans are organizing themselves.
PHOTO CAPTION:
U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, right, and Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai listens to a speech through an interpretation device during a ministerial meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Shanghai Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001. The Pacific Rim ministers are preparing to jointly condemn global terrorism and to pledge to fight it. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
- Oct 18 12:19 AM ET