AFGHANS TALKS START WITH A WIND OF OPTIMISM

From Safa Haeri at Petersberg talks

Bonn 27 Nov. (IPS) Afghans representing all factions, religions and ethnics, except the Taleban started their long awaited debate on the future of their war-ravaged nation ''à l'orientale'', with kissing and congratulating each other and assuring both the German hosts and the UN sponsors that they are aware of the responsibility that has been placed on their shoulder.

''The responsibility is yours. No one can relieve you of it and no one wants to'', said Mr. Fischer, who has emerged as Europe's most dynamic and popular diplomat, pushing Germany ahead of France as the European Union's diplomatic ''engine''.

Urging the participants to forge a ''truly historic compromise'', Mr. Fischer told them that though the international community was prepared to make great efforts , but it is linked to clear expectations, including agreement on binding rules for a peaceful political process and on broad-based, representative transitional government and the respect and protection of human rights, ''foremost guaranteeing the rights and dignity of Afghan women''.

To satisfy the international community, the NA, Rome and Cyprus groups included some women in their delegations.

Describing the Petersberg talks as ''historic'', Kofi Annan said let's hope that history would record this day as the beginning of a new age for Afghanistan, an age of peace, of harmony, of good relations with neighbors, and of growing prosperity for all its people under the rule of law''.

Diplomats said after the kick off of the talks that the ''atmosphere'' was favorable for the Afghans to reach agreement on a transitional administration and a transitional council before convening the first Loya Jirga, to be held tentatively before or after next Norooz, or the Afghans, Persians, Kurds and Central Asians new year that start on 21 March.

As the delegates that represents the Northern Alliance, the Rome Process, the Cyprus and the Peshawar groups, the first one representing mainly the Shi'a Muslim minority and the Tajik Hazara and the second the pro-Zaher Shah Poshtoons started their behind the doors talks, Hamed Karzai, the Poshtoon commandant who is positioned near Qandahar called on the delegates to ''not forget that we are all Afghans, sons of the same land, culture and faith''.

On request from the UN sponsors, delegates, who are described as ''decision makers'' having ''full mandate'' from their respective groups, agreed to limit the talks to between three to five days.

''We shall not repeat mistakes of the past'', the UN's Special Envoy for Afghanistan pointed out, adding that "so should do the international community''.

''The agenda of talks having been simplified as much as possible, all participants agreed to limit the scope of the talks to the formation of interim administration, or government and an interim supreme council, or parliament'', said Mr. Ahmad Fawzi, Mr. Brahimi's spokesman during his daily briefing, which are held inside a river ship anchored on the river Rhein bank.

All the delegates who spoke with Iran Press Service expressed their readiness to reach agreement and ''forget the past''.

Both delegates and UN diplomats also called on neighbors, particularly Iran and Pakistan to cooperate with the participants, not to interfere with their talks and works and not repeat mistakes of the past.

UN diplomats warned the negotiators that if they do not reach any satisfactory agreement here in Bonn, the aid donors, that are expected to meet in Berlin next week would not put hand in their pockets for reconstructing the war-shattered nation. ENDS AFGHAN BONN TALKS 271101