Geneva, 13 August, 1999. The Transnational Radical Party, in its quality of a non-governmental organisation in general consultative status with the ECOSOC of the UN, delivered today a speech in the framework of the discussion on the implementation of human rights with regard to women at the UN Subcommission on Minorities in Geneva. The TRP appreciated the preparation of the Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and expressed its belief that the Report may represent, if followed by a decisive and concerted action by the UN and the whole international community, a beginning of an important process giving finally a new hope for all Afghan people and Afghan women in particular.

Olga Cechurova of the TRP also reminded the Subcommission of the support that the international community have provided to the warrying factions throughout the conflict. "Unfortunately, even a body of the UN, the United Nations Drug Control Programme, concluded an agreement with the Taliban on considerable amount of money for the eradication of poppy straw in Afghanistan. Apart from the questionable efficiency, this step risks to provide legitimacy to the regime in Afghanistan. It is a duty of the international community to ensure that those who receive its assistance protect human rights", she said.

In conclusion, the Transnational Radical Party supported all the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General's Report on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. Furthermore, it urged the international community and the United Nations to take without delay a concerted action to ensure the protection of women's rights in Afghanistan, possibly through an intra-Afghan dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations. The Transnational Radical Party also expressed its conviction that all the aid and co-operation programmes (except for humanitarian aid) should be suspended until the government in Afghanistan shows respect for the human rights of both men and women.

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