BERLIN, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The European Union has pledged its support for Afghanistan, amid considerations to expand EU efforts to educate the Afghan civil police.
"We commonly stand by Afghanistan," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who had invited to Berlin a meeting of the EU Troika that also included the body's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, European Commissioner for External Relations Benito Ferrero-Waldner and Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado. Portugal will take over the EU presidency from Germany in July.
Also present was Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Spanta, who praised the successes of the past missions "in the areas of education, reconstruction and human rights." Twenty-eight percent of Afghan parliamentarians today are women, as are 38 percent of students, he said. Under the Taliban regime, women were not allowed to work or attend school.
Meanwhile, the EU is mulling to quadruple the number of police trainers, a decision to be made in February in Brussels, Solana said.
Spanta said his government was ready to take over more responsibility in the fight against terrorism.
The EU has spent more than $1.3 billion in Afghanistan and has pledged to spend another $775 million over the next four years.
