Senior UN envoy to attend special Tokyo conference on Afghan disarmament

The senior United Nations envoy for Afghanistan left Kabul today for Japan to attend a special international conference on disarmament in the Central Asian country, one of the world's most heavily armed.

This morning, Lakhdar Brahimi, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, left Kabul for Japan where on Saturday, he will attend an international conference on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in Afghanistan, according to a spokesman for the UN Mission (UNAMA).

"The conference is called 'Consolidation of Peace (DDR) in Afghanistan,'" David Singh said, adding that Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also be attending. Countries will be invited to make pledges towards the financing of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process.

After the conference, Mr. Brahimi will then go to Malaysia for a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kuala Lumpur. Following that, he will make an official visit to Pakistan before returning to Afghanistan on 5 March.