The leaders of France and Germany yesterday called for a transitional administration to be quickly set up in Afghanistan pending the establishment of multi-ethnic legitimate government.
"Our aim is the formation in Afghanistan, as soon as possible, of a transitional administration, then the establishment of a legitimate government, which should be broadly representative, multi-ethnic and determined to introduce human rights," they said. President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schr÷der said they hoped a UN conference, to be attended by Afghan parties in Bonn on Tuesday, will produce such an arrangement.
"With this in mind, we place much hope in the United Nations conference which will open in Bonn under the authority of Lakhdar Brahimi, the special representative of the UN secretary-general, to whom we offer our full support," the statement said.
The leaders met at the 78th biannual Franco-German summit in the French city of Nantes. "Humanitarian aid is the priority. It must be massive and delivered without conditions. France and Germany will take part in this. They are ready, each according to its means, to encourage the supply ... of this assistance provided by non-governmental organisations."