Afghanistan: hailing Bonn accord's anniversary, Security Council urges full democracy

Marking the one-year anniversary of the Bonn Agreement which paved the way for Afghanistan's political transition, members of the Security Council today hailed the success achieved to date while calling for further steps to consolidate democracy.

In a statement to the press, Council President Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia said the members "welcome the progress made so far" in the implementation of the Bonn accord. Among other achievements, he cited the convening of the emergency Loya Jirga tribal council, the selection of President Hamid Karzai as head of State and the establishment of the Afghan Transitional Administration.

"Council members reiterated their support for the efforts of the Afghan Transitional Administration to strengthen and promote stability, democracy and prosperity in Afghanistan," Ambassador Valdivieso said. "The Security Council underlines the importance of the preparation of a new constitution and the convening by June 2004 of free and fair elections through which a broad-based, multiethnic and fully representative Government can be established."