65 Amendments of Norbert NEUSER related to 2009/2217(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7
Citation 7
– having regard to the (forthcoming) "Kabul Conference" scheduled for of 20 July 2010, which will assess progress in implementing decisions taken at the London Conference, and will provide an opportas a further step in the Kabul Process and marked a new phase in the partnership between the Afghan Government and the international community forwith the Afghan Government to chart the way forward, notably on anti- corruption, reinforcedaim of accelerating Afghan leadership and ownership, strengthening international and regional cooperation, improving governance and the rule of law, promoting and protecting the rights of all Afghan citizens, with specurity, good governance, economic and social development, human rights, gender equality, economic growth, and improved electoral processesial regard to women and children, delivering economic and social development; enhancing the capabilities of Afghan security forces, and combating drug production and trafficking,
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that any breach of the principle of impartiality which humanitarian actors invoke in their work makes the latter more vulnerable on the ground, particularly as they will continue to be present on the ground long after NATO troops have been withdrawn; takes the view, therefore, that military personnel should distribute humanitarian aid only in entirely exceptional circumstances, in recognition of the impartial nature of the work of humanitarian actors;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the Presidential decree of 17 August 2010, which has given a four-month deadline for private security companies present in Afghanistan to disband, with an exception for private security firms working inside compounds used by foreign embassies, businesses, and NGOs,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10
Citation 10
– having regard to the appointment, as of 1 April 2010, of a "‘double-hatted"’ EU Special Representative/Head of EU Delegation to Afghanistan, and having regard to the Council decision of 11 August 2010, extending the mandate of Special Representative Vygaudas Usackas until 31 August 2011,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the international community has implicitly recognised tharepeatedly reaffirmed its support for the relevant Unine years of war and international involvement have not succeeded in eliminating the Taliban insurgency and bringing peace and stability to the countryted Nations Security Council Resolutions upholding the security, prosperity and human rights of all Afghan citizens and the ultimate goal of bringing peace and stability to the country; whereas, however, after nine years of war and international involvement, the Taliban insurgency continues to represent a major challenge,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas an impasse has been reached in Afghanistan: a coalition of occupying powerinternational forces in place but unable to defeat the Taliban, and an insurgency movement unable to prevail against these military forces; and whereas there is no obvious end in sight,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas security conditions have deteriorated, along with the popular consensus the coalition'’s presence enjoyed at one stage; whereas a new broader partnership with the people of Afghanistan is needed, involving unrepresented groups and civil society in peace and reconciliation efforts,
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas difficulties in the development of government institutions to achieve legitimacy in the eyes of the Afghan people continue to persist, as a consequence of widespread corruption and also of the controversial presidential and parliamentary elections, which were accompanied by a number of issues of concern, as critically described in the Final Report of the EU Election Observation Mission in the case of the presidential election,
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the second parliamentary elections since the fall of the Taliban were held on 18 September 2010 and the election campaigns witnessed insurgent attacks such as assassinations, kidnappings and intimidation of candidates, their staff members and election officials, and whereas this insurgent violence was particularly directed towards women candidates,
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
C c. whereas the EU is one of the major donors of development assistance and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan; whereas it is a committed partner in reconstruction and stabilisation efforts,
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas under the 2006 Afghanistan Compact, donors agreed to channel an increasing proportion of their assistance through the core government budget, either directly or through trust fund mechanisms, wherever possible, but whereas the action plan for assistance envisages 77 benchmarks for Afghanistan to only 20 per cent of development aid is channelled through the governmeent and none whatsoever for donorsbudget at present,
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, with regard to the EU aid contribution to Afghanistan, Carl Bildt, in his capacity as Council President, stated before Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs in December 2009 that "We have no idea what the Union as a collectivity is doing in Afghanistan... We are spending more than a billion euros a year..., virtually uncoordinated" the lack of sufficient coordination undermines the effectiveness of EU aid contributions to Afghanistan,
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas between 2002 and 2009 a sum of over USD 40 billion in international aid was channelled towards Afghanistan; whereas the number of children attending school has increased over this period but whereas, according to UNICEF estimates, 59% of Afghanistan'’s children under the age of five still do not get enough to eat, and five million children are unable to attend school,
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the situation of women in the country remains a matter of great concern; whereas, according to UN reporting, Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate is the second highest in the world with nearly 25 000 deaths per year, only 12.6% of women over the age of 15 able to read and write, and 57% of girls married off below the legal age of 16; whereas violence against women continues to be a widespread phenomenon; whereas the discriminatory Shia Personal Status Law is still in place and, amongst other points, criminalises women for denying sexual intercourse to their husbands or forbids women from leaving the house without their husband's consent,
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
F b. whereas Afghanistan is a party to several international conventions protecting women's and children's rights, and notably the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 1979 and the International Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, and whereas the Afghan Constitution, and its article 22 in particular, stipulates that "the citizens of Afghanistan, men and women, have equal rights and duties before the law"; whereas the Afghan Family Code is currently under revision in order to harmonize it with the Constitution,
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas it has become obvious that no military solution is possible in Afghanistan, and whereas the US has stated that it will start to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in summer 2011; whereas, and other countries have either already withdrawn or are making plans to do so imminently; whereas, however, the withdrawal of the military has to be a gradual and coordinated procedure in the framework of a political project that guarantees a smooth transition of responsibility to the Afghan security forces,
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the LondonKabul Conference stipulated that the Afghan police force should go from its current 94 000 strength to 134 000 by the end of 2011 and to 160 000 within five yearsNational Army should reach a strength of 171 600 personnel and the Afghan National Police of 134 000 by October 2011, with the necessary financial and technical support from the international community,
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas Afghanistan is the world's leading source of opium production, and the main supplier to opium markets in the EU and the Russian Federation,
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes, therefore, that a new EU strategy for Afghanistan will have to takmust be bas its starting point two premises: an acknowledgement of the continuing deterioration in security and socio- economic indicators in Afghanistan despite almost a decade of international involvement and investment; and the need to encourage a profound shift in the mindset of the international community, which has all too often in the past shaped plans and decisions with scant regard fored on past experiences of successes and failures, following almost a decade of international involvement and investment, with the aim of improving aid efficiency and increasing Afghan involvement;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes and supports the Council conclusions "Strengthening EU Action in Afghanistan and Pakistan" of October 2009, that outline a more coherent and coordinated EU approach towards the region and highlight the importance of regional cooperation and of a more civilian focus in the policy towards Afghanistan;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that any long-term solution to the Afghan crisis will involve the elimination of poverty,should include concrete measures for the eradication of poverty, reconciliation mechanisms, the respect for human rights, the involvement of the various ethnic and religious groups in the political life of the country, the promotion of regional cooperation for development, putting an end to opium production, and the full integration of Afghanistan into the international community;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates that the EU and its Member States should support Afghanistan in the construction of its own state, with stronger democratic institutions capable of ensuring national sovereignty, state unity, territorial integrity, sustainable economic development and the prosperity of the people of Afghanistan, and respecting the historical, religious, spiritual and cultural traditionrights of all ethnic and religious communities in Afghan territory;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Takes note of the Afghan Government's commitment to implementing over the next twelve months, in a phased and fiscally sustainable manner, the Sub-National Governance Policy, strengthening local authorities and their institutional capacities, and developing sub-national regulatory, financing, and budgetary frameworks;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. IDespite improvements in women's lives since the end of the Taliban rule in 2001, is concerned about the deterioration inof women's fundamental political and civil rights in Afghanistan, as well as by in the last few years, and expresses its concern about negative developments such as the fact that the majority of prisoners in Afghan jails are women escaping oppressive relatives, and about the recent changes to the electoral code which weaken the quotas for seats in parliament for women;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Strongly believes that women's rights are part of the security solution – it is impossible to achieve stability in Afghanistan without women enjoying their full rights in political, social and economic life; calls therefore on the Afghan authorities and the representatives of the international community to include women in every stage of the peace talks and reconciliation/reintegration efforts, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1325;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Commission, the Council and EU Member States to continue to raise the issue of discrimination against women and children, as well as of human rights in general, in bilateral relations with Afghanistan, in line with the EU's long-term commitment to assisting Afghanistan in peace and reconstruction efforts;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU and the international community to increase the level of funding and support for Afghan women and women's organisationpolitical and technical support for policies to improve Afghan women's situation and for women's organisations, including women's rights defenders;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Highlights further the importance of strengthening media freedom and civil society in Afghanistan to enhance democratisation in the country; recommends also the conclusions of the EU election observation mission 2009;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that the cost of eliminating povertyCalls on the international community to increase financial aid aimed at fighting poverty as well as improving public health and education in Afghanistan, is equivalent to the cost of five days of warfaren parallel with reducing military expenditure in the country;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that, according to the Afghan Minister of Finance, as corroborated by other independent sources, only USD 6 billion (or 15%) of the USD 40 billion in aid in fact reached the Afghan government between 2002 and 2009;, and that, of the remaining USD 34 billion, which has been channelled through international organisations, between 70% and 80% has never reached the intended beneficiaries, the people of Afghanistanregional development banks, NGOs, international contractors, etc;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the EU to set up a centralised database on/analysis of the costs and impact of all EU aid to Afghanistan, for withoutas the lack of comprehensive, up-to-date and transparent data about Afghanistan as it is today, any intervention strategy can only be doomed to failureundermines aid efficiency;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Takes the view that the Afghan authorities should be responsible for civilian projects, such as the building of schools and hospitals; welcomes, in this regard, the reiterated strong support of participants at the Kabul Conference for planning to channel, in line with the London Conference communiqué, at least 50% of development aid through the Afghan Government's core budget within two years, while, as also committed to at the London Conference, the Afghan Government achieves the necessary reforms to strengthen its public financial management systems, reduce corruption, improve budget execution, and increase revenue collection to finance key National Priority Programmes;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls, too, on all the main humanitarian and development bodies active in Afghanistan (from EU Member States and the US to the UNDP and UNOPS, and from the World Bank to the main NGOs) to drastically prune their operating expenses by allocating funds (at least 80% more than at present) directly toto concrete projects implemented in real and balanced partnership with Afghan institutions;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recognises the potential for local corruption but believes that this will be outweighed by the strengthened legitimacy the Afghan State will gain by being responsible for implementing aid and by ensuring that aid effectiveness indicators and effective moniStresses that combating corruption is a crucial element of Afghan state-building efforts and welcomes the fact that, at the Kabul Conference, the Afghan Government pledged to undertake all necessary measures tor ing mechanisms, agreed upon by both donors and the Afghan Government, are in placecrease transparency and accountability and tackle corruption;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Takes the view that impartial humanitarian actors should be responsible for the distribution of aid in the country and that military personnel should be involved only in entirely exceptional circumstances, in recognition of the neutral, impartial and independent nature of the work of humanitarian actors and in full compliance with the relevant international standards, as codified in the ‘Guidelines on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets in Humanitarian Emergencies’ (MCDA) and advocated in the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that the decision to place the US military supply chain in private hands is fuelling extortion and corruption, as warlords, local mafia bosses and ultimately Taliban commanders end up taking a significant share of the USD 2.2-3 billion business of military logistics in Afghanistan; notes that this amount surpasses the funding going to the Taliban from their "taxation" of the narcotics industry (calculated by the UN at 15% of their war budget);
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Is equally appalled by the fact that, since US and NATO military logistics follow similar lines, European taxpayers could end up funding the Taliban through the very entities that are supposed to combat the full traceability of EU financial contribution might not be fully guaranteed in all cases eithemr;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Points out that the military focus of the past did not achieve the desired results, and therefore strongly supports a more civilian approach;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Recognises that the only possible solution is a political one, and thatexit from the current impasse is a political agreement to be achieved through negotiations with the Taliban –, which should take place against the backdrop of a ceasefire – lie at the heart of this process, with the, involve Pashtun elements, and aim tof forming a government of national unity, which can put an end to the civil war that has raged in the country for almost three decades as well as ensure full respect for fundamental human rights;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Firmly believes that the EU's three main prerequisites for thesuch a peace process must be an Afghan commitment by all parties involved in negotiations to banishing Al Qaeda as well as any other terrorist group from the country, theo take action to elimination ofe poppy cultivation, and the will to establish respect for fundamental human rights;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Is aware of different views among key players on what form negotiations should take and how inclusive they should be, and expects further elaboration of this at the forthcoming Kabul ConferenceWelcomes the Afghan Government's Peace and Reintegration Programme, which is open to all Afghan members of the armed opposition and their communities who renounce violence, have no links to international terrorist organizations, respect the Constitution, and are willing to join in building a peaceful Afghanistan;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Highlights the importance of increasing the credibility, responsibility, and competence of the Afghan Government and administration, in order to improve its reputation among its own citizens;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Stresses the key role of Pakistan in the process, as there is no incentive for the Taliban to undertake any serious negotiations as long as the Pakistan border remains open to them; recommends a wider international coordination and involvement also including other neighbouring countries and leading regional actors - and notably Iran, Turkey, China, India, and the Russian Federation - in this process;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Welcomes the signing of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement on 18 July 2010 which should boost regional cooperation and the economy, as it will allow Afghan lorries to use a land route through Pakistan to carry goods to India and will also boost trade with other countries as it will give landlocked Afghanistan access to Pakistani ports;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37 b. Calls on the Commission to evaluate the strategic and political implications of the recent disastrous Pakistan floods for Afghanistan and the broader region, and to take every necessary step to assist the affected population of the country and the Afghan refugees whose camps were overwhelmed by flooding;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 c (new)
Paragraph 37 c (new)
37 c. Stresses the importance of good water management in and around Afghanistan and highlights the benefits of regional and cross-border cooperation in this field, also in terms of confidence- building among neighbours in Southwest Asia;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39 a. Welcomes the participation of EU HR/VP Catherine Ashton in the Kabul Conference held in July 2010, which reconfirmed the EU's commitment to the "Kabul process" aimed at increasing Afghan responsibility for and ownership of its own security, governance and development, and fully supports the EU's engagement based on priority areas such as police and justice reform as well as respect for human rights in Afghanistan;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls on the EU to continue to support the peace process unreservedly, allowing the Karzai Government full autonomy in its choice of dialogue partners, butand reconciliation process in Afghanistan as well as Afghan efforts to reintegrate those ready to renounce violence, and insistings that the Afghan Constitution and respect for fundamental human rights form the overall legal and political framework for the peace process;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40 a. Welcomes the National Priority Programmes, elaborated by the Afghan Government in line with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and supported by the Kabul Conference, and calls for their full and effective implementation;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Urges the EU and its Member States to encourage the US to move away from its policy of circumventing domestic institutions in the delivery of international aid and the privatisation of security, as well as its parallel and seemingly contradictory (to the peace process) attempt to "‘decapitate"’ the insurgency leadership using drones and, US Special forces and local militias, which isare of questionable legal status and, results in frequent civilian casualties, and discredit the international intervention;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
Police trainingand security forces and the rule of law
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46 a. Welcomes President Karzai's objective that only the Afghan National Security Forces should lead and conduct military operations in all provinces by the end of 2014, as well as the Afghan Government's commitment to a phased exercise of full authority over its own security;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Stresses that Afghanistan must be provided with an efficient police force capable of ensuring a minimal standard ofand an autonomous army capable of ensuring security able to permit a subsequent withdrawal of the foreign military presence from the country;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Draws attention to the many different police training missions presRecognising, however, that having self-sustaining security forces is rather a long term goal; draws particular attent ion to the ground, and to the funding being invested in police training, with little to show for itneed for a more coordinated and integrated approach in the training of police, as well as, in a separate manner, in the training of army officers;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Believes that the vagueness of EUPOL's remit and the uncertainty of its achievements to date prevent it from acquirCalls on the EUPOL Afghanistan mission to continue police training with the aim of improving policing standards and law enforcement capacities; reiterates its call to the Council to remedy the ongoing problem of personnel shortages withing the legitimacy it deservesEUPOL Afghanistan mission as a matter of urgency and calls on EU Member States to fully honour their commitments towards this mission;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49 a. Welcomes the setting up by EUPOL Afghanistan of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office with the aim of investigating cases against high profile public officials and other officials suspected of corruption;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Proposes that a large-scale training programme be launched and placCalls for coordinated, in the first instance, under NATO command, and that EUPOL and national police mission staff be integrated into this new training mission, thereby eliminating duplication, waste and fragmentationternational efforts to significantly increase police training capacities and further improve the effectiveness of training programmes, based on an improved cooperation and coordination between the various actors;
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 a (new)
Paragraph 56 a (new)
56 a. Stresses that police training cannot deliver without a well-functioning judiciary and calls, therefore, on the international community to provide increased financial and technical support to strengthen the judicial system, also by increasing the salary of judges at all levels; further requests the Council to put in place, in coordination with the UN, a specialized mission to train judges as well as public officials in the Ministry of Justice and in the penal system in Afghanistan;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56 b (new)
Paragraph 56 b (new)
56 b. Welcomes the fact that the Afghan Government pledged at the Kabul Conference to improve, with the support of international partners, access to the delivery of justice throughout the country by implementing concrete measures within the next twelve months, as well as the capacity of judicial institutions, also through the design and implementation of a comprehensive human resources strategy;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65 a (new)
Paragraph 65 a (new)
65 a. Notes that the recently signed Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement will give an opening to producers of pomegranates, the most famous legal crop in the area, and which have repeatedly been cited by foreign development workers as a key to creating decent alternative livelihoods for poppy- growers in the south of Afghanistan;
Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
67. Calls for a five-year national plan for the elimination of illicit opium crops, with specific deadlines and benchmarks , to be implemented through a dedicated office, with its own budget and staff, to be headed by a figure who has the trust of both the President and the international community, the latter to provide technical assistance;
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68