Post-Taliban Afghanistan: World Leaders Hunt for Peace

UN Blueprint for Post-war Afghanistan

The U.N.’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi has delivered a political blueprint for a post-Taliban government.

The plan envisages a two-year transitional government to bring the country's ethnic groups under one umbrella and establish a multinational security force to protect them

Brahimi suggested a "coalition of the willing" of multinational troops, which could include Turkey, Jordan and Malaysia, along with European nations

The U.N. Security Council considers a British and French drafted resolution on Wednesday that would support Brahimi's efforts and take a step toward approving the force.

Brahimi also said he was organizing a gathering immediately of all Afghan factions and sending his deputy, Francesc Vendrell, as soon as possible.

The United Nations never recognized Taliban rule, supporting instead Northern Alliance leader Burhanuddin Rabbani's administration as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Rabbani, who as Afghan president was driven from Kabul by the Taliban in 1996, plans to return to Kabul.

Britain Supports Strong UN Role

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush's staunchest ally in his war on terrorism, called for a strong U.N. role.

"I believe that we can make real progress towards the filling of the current power vacuum in Kabul, but we need a U.N. presence there as soon as possible," he said.

"And we need obviously to make sure that we are making as quick progress as we can on assembling all the different elements that need to go into that broad-based successor regime".

Pakistan and Iran: Burying Past Differences

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said a U.N. force with Muslim participation was needed urgently to ensure Afghan stability.

Turkey, NATO's only Muslim member said it was willing to send peacekeeping troops.

Pakistan regards the Northern Alliance, now in charge of Kabul, with deep suspicion. It would like to see moderate members of the Pashtun dominated Taliban to be part of the future government.

It says Kabul should be a demilitarized zone, under the control of a U.N. or multinational force, until a new government for Afghanistan is set up.

The interior minister of Iran, another neighbor of Afghanistan, arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday for talks.

Pakistan and Iran have been at odds over Afghanistan for years. Iran has backed the Northern Alliance, which seized Kabul on Tuesday, and gives particular support to Shiite groups in the country.

But despite past enmity, Pakistan and Iran are part of the six-plus-two group of nations trying to oversee the transition to a post-Taliban Government.

The group includes the six countries bordering Afghanistan plus the United States and Russia.