By KUNA,
Brussels : The European Parliament (EP) called Tuesday for a much larger political role for the European Union (EU) in Afghanistan and stressed the need to maintain the distinction between military and civilian actions by all actors.
In a report adopted by a large majority, the EP notes that “in Afghanistan , the EU is primarily known as a humanitarian organization,” and calls for a major strengthening of political will and commitment by the EU.
The report “supports the efforts of NATO forces to improve security in the country and tackle local and international terrorism, and considers the presence of these forces to be essential in order to ensure the country’s future.” Nevertheless, the report also underlined that ” Afghanistan ‘s security problems are more complex than just a war on terror and therefore they require more than a military solution.” The report voices concern about the effects of military actions on humanitarian aid and development. It notes that “although security and development are interdependent in Afghanistan , there is a clear demarcation between military and humanitarian action that should be maintained.” The EP report also draws attention to the fact that the mandate of the EU Police Mission (EUPOL) provides opportunities for it to support and train the Afghan police force, a key priority for establishing the rule of law in Afghanistan . In this context, it strongly criticizes EU Member States for failing to contribute enough personnel to allow EUPOL to be deployed at full strength, and asks the EU Council to urgently examine this situation.