By Safa Haeri

BONN 26 Nov. (IPS) With Afghan delegates taking part at the first meeting of Afghan groups held under the auspieces of the United Nations arriving to Petersberg, a castle built over a hilltop overlooking the city of Bonn and the majestic river Rheine, informal taks have started between the Afghans who have arrived and representatives of the United Nations.

Speaking to the hundreds of reporters who have focked to this former capital of western Germany coming from all over the world, UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said the first contacts established between the Afghans themselves and them with UN team, including Mr. Brahimi and his deputy, Mr. Francesc Vendrell, were ''satisfying''.

The talks would start officially on Tuesday morning with the speech from the German Forign Minister Joschka Fischer, who is hosting the conference, followe by another from Mr. Brahimi, the sponsor and, possibly, one of the Afghan participants, before spliting in four groups, with only UN diplomats shuttling between them.

When asked if the Poshtoon that forms the biggest of Afghan ethnics would be represented in Petersberg, Mr. Fawzi stressed that the present meeting is between ''political groups'' and not ethnics or religious, adding that the participants to the Bonn meeting have been chosen by the groups themselves.

To a question about the UN and the West' expectations on the meeting, he said whatever the delegates agrees upon would be a satisfaction for the UN. ''If they say they have decided to meet again in ten days in Kabul, we would say it is positive'', Mr. Fawzi, an Egyptian diplomat, pointed out, adding that the ''UN proposes and the Afghan disposes'', using a metaphor.

Speaking inside a ship transferred in a press center and anchored in the river' bank Mr. Fawzi said the participants would study Mr. Brahimi's five points plan and would decide whether to go along step by step or jump to last points, meaning the oration of a Loya Jirga and the constitution of braod-based government.

''We hope the negotiators would go as fast as they can reaching agreements'', the spokesman said the packed press briefing, adding that among the issue they would consider is the security, to be maintained by either an all Afghan, a multinational or a peacekeeping force'', he said, adding that the UN would prefer the multinational solution.

Asked on the participation of Muslim nations in the peacekeeping force, as proposed by the European Union, Mr. Fawzi the idea is still under consideration, ''but we have not reached that step yet''.

He also had a mild warning for the Afghans who have come to Bonn, saying if they missed this ''golden opportunity'', they would have to endorse the responsibilities by having failed Afghans aspirations for peace, prosperity and development. ENDS AFQANS BONN TAKS 261101