Fed: Smith warns of violence ahead in Afghan poll

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2009
Fed: Smith warns of violence ahead in Afghan poll

CANBERRA, Aug 18 AAP - Afghanistan is set to see a continuing escalation of violence
in the lead-up to elections on Thursday, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has warned.

Mr Smith said the Taliban had announced they planned to deliberately target the elections
and that was vividly and tragically demonstrated by the suicide attack which killed seven
in Kabul on Saturday.

He said the Afghan government, UN agencies and the International Security Assistance
Force had done much to ensure elections were credible, secure and with the broad participation
of the Afghan people.

"This has not been easy for a range of reasons, including Afghanistan's challenging
geography, nascent institutions and a security environment where the Taliban aim to disrupt
the elections and prevent ordinary Afghans from exercising their democratic rights," he
said in a ministerial statement to parliament.

"I am concerned that the days ahead are likely to see a continuing escalation of violence.

Afghanistan is a dangerous environment and the election makes it even more so."

Mr Smith said elections were important in reinforcing the authority of the Afghan government
which was striving to present the Afghan people a better future than that offered by the
Taliban.

He said at some point in the process there needed to be a political reconciliation
to ensure that the vast bulk of the Afghan people who wanted to take part in a political
process in a peaceful way were able to do so.

"Those who do not want to pursue their ideas or ideals through the barrel of a gun
must have the full and appropriate opportunity to engage in such a political process without
ongoing fear for their security," he said.

Mr Smith said these political efforts were not a substitute for military, construction
and capacity-building efforts.

"On the contrary, if political reconciliation and realignment efforts are to yield
fruit, it will be essential to maintain military pressure on hardcore terrorists, while
at the same time offering those less committed to such a course the opportunity to renounce
violence and accept the Afghan government's conditions for rapprochement," he said.

Ensuring the Afghan people succeeded politically and economically was essential to
defeat extremism, opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said.

Some 11 Australian soldiers had paid the ultimate price while helping rebuild the war-torn
country, she told parliament.

Ms Bishop said Australian taxpayers would contribute $1.2 billion to Afghanistan this
financial year alone.

"Given the scale and depth of this likely commitment the Rudd government must ensure
that it continues to keep the coalition, the parliament and the Australian community fully
informed about Australia's commitment in Afghanistan and developments in (bordering) Pakistan,"

she said.

Meanwhile, five federal police officers headed to Afghanistan on Tuesday to assist
their counterparts in the strife-torn nation.

The officers, along with five AFP colleagues already in Afghanistan, will provide support
for local police during the national elections.

AAP mb/jcd/sb/mn

KEYWORD: AFGHAN AUST

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