Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the degree of discussion that has taken place at EU or UN level in regard to the situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34844/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council, at its meeting on 30-31 January, adopted conclusions which welcomed the proposed launch of the Afghanistan Compact and reaffirmed the EU's commitment to long-term support for the Government and people of Afghanistan through Afghan-led reconstruction efforts.

The Afghanistan Compact was launched at the International Conference on Afghanistan in London on 31 January/1 February and was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 1659 on 15 February. The Compact will guide the joint efforts of the Afghan Government and the international community in meeting outstanding challenges across three pillars of activity: security; governance; rule of law and human rights, and economic and social development. Counter-narcotics was identified as a crosscutting priority in the Compact. The Compact notes that Afghanistan's transition to peace and stability is not yet assured and that strong international engagement will be required to address remaining challenges. Ireland pledged €5 million at the launch of the Compact, which will be expended over the next two years. Ireland has contributed a total of €22 million to reconstruction and recovery programmes in Afghanistan since January 2002.

Within the EU, discussions are currently taking place at working group level on possible further EU support for the rule of law sector in Afghanistan.

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1707 on 12 September 2006 extending the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) until October 2007. ISAF is an UN Chapter VII operation originally mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1386 of 20 December 2001. The Resolution authorised "the establishment for 6 months of an International Security Assistance Force to assist the Afghan Interim Authority in the maintenance of security in Kabul and its surrounding areas, so that the Afghan Interim Authority as well as the personnel of the United Nations can operate in a secure environment". Subsequent UN Security Council Resolutions extended the period of authorisation of the Force. Resolution 1510 of 13 October 2003 authorised expansion of the Mission's geographical area "outside of Kabul and its environs". ISAF is not a UN force, however. Rather it is a coalition of NATO members and other contributing nations deployed under the authorisation of the UN Security Council. In exercising its mandate, ISAF works in close consultation with the democratically elected Government of Afghanistan. Seven members of the Permanent Defence Force currently serve in ISAF.

On 23 March, the UN Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for a further 12-month period. UNAMA's mandate includes assisting in implementation of the Afghanistan Compact, promoting human rights, providing technical assistance, and managing all UN humanitarian relief, recovery, reconstruction and development activities in coordination with the Afghan Government.

The UN Security Council was briefed on the situation in Afghanistan on 9 October and announced that it would send a Council delegation, at an appropriate time, possibly in November, to review the situation on the ground and to reassure Afghanistan of the international community's support.