OSCE Secretary General meets President Karzai, discusses assistance to Afghanistan

KABUL, 10 September 2008 - The OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, met President Hamid Karzai today to discuss assistance the Organization could provide to Afghanistan.

"During my meeting in Kabul with President Karzai we explored the concrete assistance that the OSCE can provide to Afghanistan, an Asian Partner for Co-operation. The OSCE can lend its knowledge and experience in such areas as border security management, the fight against drug trafficking, and also help in training customs officials," said Perrin de Brichambaut.

"The OSCE involvement is aimed at bolstering security in the region and acknowledging the link between OSCE countries and the problems and challenges which exist in Afghanistan."

The other OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation are Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Mongolia.

The Secretary General also met Deputy Interior Minister, General Mohammad Daud Daud, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Afghanistan and the Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Kai Eide, and members of the diplomatic corps.

"Involvement in the activities of our Central Asia field operations would be a natural starting point for strengthening interaction between Afghanistan and the OSCE," said the Secretary General.

The OSCE has field operations in all five of the Central Asian states, and is working to establish a Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe.

"I believe that this initiative will prove useful for senior Afghan border management commanders in broadening their own knowledge and in developing relationships with their colleagues in the OSCE region," said Perrin de Brichambaut.

"Customs is a particularly significant border agency due to its role in addressing a range of challenges and opportunities, from counter-terrorism to facilitating trade and enhancing State revenues. In Afghanistan the legislated leadership role of Customs in combating narcotics trafficking across borders is also important. For this reason we are looking into ways to offer considerable attention to the support of that service."

In November 2007, the OSCE Madrid Ministerial Council approved a decision to step up the Organization's engagement with Afghanistan, with a particular focus on intensifying OSCE action to help secure and manage borders between the OSCE's Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, to train police and support the fight against drug trafficking. The decision followed a request for assistance in these areas by Afghanistan.