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24/05/2010
Hague 'No Date To Quit' Afghanistan
Foreign Secretary William Hague has refused to set a date for UK troop withdrawal.
He was speaking as the International Development Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell announced that aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan "needs to to get higher priority at the Department of International Development and that this needs to be more closer integrated with work on stabilisation".
The announcement came as he visited Afghanistan alongside the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and the Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, to take stock of the UK's Afghanistan strategy.
The UK ministers put on a united front after Defence Secretary Liam Fox suggested the focus in Afghanistan should move away from reconstruction.
He had said troops were there for UK security not for "the education policy in a broken 13th-century country".
Foreign Secretary William Hague said that it would be "unwise" and "unhelpful" to set a firm date for withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan,
Mr Hague said they should stay until Afghans can manage their own security, and being made to "jump through hoops" to meet a date would not help.
But after talks with Afghan leaders in Kabul he and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell both stressed their commitment to redevelopment.
Before the talks, which took place on an unprecedented trip to Afghanistan by the three Cabinet ministers, Dr Fox argued in the Times newspaper that British troops were not in the country to "fix Afghan society".
In response to these priorities , the Permanent Secretary (Minouche Shafik) has appointed a Western Asia and Stabilisation Director with responsibility for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Stabilisation.
This has been done so that more senior time is devoted to the high priority areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Stabilisation.
This change will also allow the Department for International Development to work more closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Afghanistan, Pakistan and Stabilisation.
The Secretary of State said: "These appointments reflect the need to see the UK's aid work harder in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to bring about stability.
"It is our duty to ensure that aid plays a full a part as possible in countries where conflict is halting progress and leaving people without water, electricity and schooling.
"Following 30 years of conflict, Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world with half of its 25 million people living below the international poverty line and 40% with not enough to eat."
Meanwhile, a marine killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan has been named by the Ministry of Defence.
He was Cpl Stephen Walker from Lisburn in Co Antrim. He was 42-years-old and from A Company 40 Commando Royal Marines.
He died on Friday morning after an explosion near Patrol Base Almas, in Sangin, Helmand.
His death brought the total number of British service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 286.
(BMcC/GK)
He was speaking as the International Development Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell announced that aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan "needs to to get higher priority at the Department of International Development and that this needs to be more closer integrated with work on stabilisation".
The announcement came as he visited Afghanistan alongside the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and the Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, to take stock of the UK's Afghanistan strategy.
The UK ministers put on a united front after Defence Secretary Liam Fox suggested the focus in Afghanistan should move away from reconstruction.
He had said troops were there for UK security not for "the education policy in a broken 13th-century country".
Foreign Secretary William Hague said that it would be "unwise" and "unhelpful" to set a firm date for withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan,
Mr Hague said they should stay until Afghans can manage their own security, and being made to "jump through hoops" to meet a date would not help.
But after talks with Afghan leaders in Kabul he and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell both stressed their commitment to redevelopment.
Before the talks, which took place on an unprecedented trip to Afghanistan by the three Cabinet ministers, Dr Fox argued in the Times newspaper that British troops were not in the country to "fix Afghan society".
In response to these priorities , the Permanent Secretary (Minouche Shafik) has appointed a Western Asia and Stabilisation Director with responsibility for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Stabilisation.
This has been done so that more senior time is devoted to the high priority areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Stabilisation.
This change will also allow the Department for International Development to work more closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Afghanistan, Pakistan and Stabilisation.
The Secretary of State said: "These appointments reflect the need to see the UK's aid work harder in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to bring about stability.
"It is our duty to ensure that aid plays a full a part as possible in countries where conflict is halting progress and leaving people without water, electricity and schooling.
"Following 30 years of conflict, Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world with half of its 25 million people living below the international poverty line and 40% with not enough to eat."
Meanwhile, a marine killed in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan has been named by the Ministry of Defence.
He was Cpl Stephen Walker from Lisburn in Co Antrim. He was 42-years-old and from A Company 40 Commando Royal Marines.
He died on Friday morning after an explosion near Patrol Base Almas, in Sangin, Helmand.
His death brought the total number of British service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 286.
(BMcC/GK)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Dry, bright start this morning with best of sunshine in the west. Thickening cloud over Down and Antrim this morning with a few showers, extending westwards this afternoon. Lighter winds. Maximum temperature 16 °C.Tonight:Rather cloudy and mainly dry at first, then showery outbreaks of rain extending westwards to most places during the night, turning heavier towards morning. Light winds. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
