Just before we start there are a few things coming up over the next weeks. We are expecting to see the executive director of United Nations Office for Drug and Crimes (UNODC) Mr. Maria Costa here this Spring. We also expect to see a representative from the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs here in the coming days. There is a busy schedule and as soon as we have dates on these we will obviously let you all know.

Afghanistan Compact on track after Berlin JCMB meeting
Since the Berlin meeting of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board at this beginning of this month there has been little opportunity to talk to you about progress with the Afghanistan Compact and Afghan National Development Strategy, and what to expect now.

The Compact is still new. Officially it is a year old on March 21 this year, after which it has four more years to run. The Berlin meeting looked at what is working, what is not, and where adjustments are needed. 2006 presented a higher than expected level of insecurity, and so a key question surrounding this meeting, and picked up by some of the international press, was whether things are still on track.

Overall there was in UNAMA's opinion a very encouraging level of commitment both from the international partners represented, and from the Afghan Government itself towards getting the necessary work done. Eight of the Compact's early benchmarks have now been achieved, with the JCMB allowing time extensions of between four and nine months in a further three cases (drafting and endorsement of mineral regulations, a labor market study, and liquidation of state owned banks that have not been re-licensed). There is substantial work ahead but the Compact and the Afghan National Development Strategy remain, in our view, the right tools for the job.

A main aim of this meeting was to look at substantive ways to accelerate implementation of the Compact through a more effective and strengthened JCMB. UNAMA stressed the need to address more aggressively the challenges Afghanistan is facing, especially improving the security sector and building strong institutions for rule of law and human rights. Stabilization of Afghanistan is something we are all working towards in 2007 and it is clearly key to the stability of the entire region.

Specifically: The meeting backed Afghan ownership of security, reconstruction and development efforts; It admitted Spain as its 23rd member; It looked at creating more jobs by improving the quality of development spending through the budget; With reforms of the Ministry of Interior, the meeting looked at ensuring merit-based selection, training, and better supply of equipment. There was also a renewed commitment to DIAG, which is crucial for the government to have a monopoly on the use of force; It also looked at speeding the passage of legislation; And it discussed the upcoming elections, including streamlining the elections calendar to allow for elections to be held simultaneously.

No room for let up in Afghanistan 's economy
As you may know an International Monetary Fund staff team was in Kabul earlier this winter to conduct the first review under the IMF's poverty reduction and growth facility.

The initial assessment is that Afghanistan 's main economic indicators are positive and programme performance during the first half of the 2006/7-year is generally satisfactory.

GDP growth is now expected to be in the region of 8 percent for the year, which although lower than in previous years is still seen as pretty good. Last year saw a 9 percent drop in cereal output as a result of drought, but this was offset by strong activity in construction and services. If these trends continue and there is a rebound in agriculture in the coming year growth is likely to reach 12 percent falling to around 10 percent after that.

Inflation is down, year-on-year. The consumer price index for Kabul declined to about 5.4 percent by September 2006, as a slower increase in rent prices largely offset a faster rise in food and energy prices. "National" year-on-year inflation, which covers Kabul and five other cities, was 5.2 percent in September.

Domestic revenue continued to grow, exceeding the first half target of 10.6 billion Afghanis, and the exchange rate is stable.

Despite these positive indicators the IMF says there's no room for complacency. It is highlighting a need for continued determined action on the reform agenda, including addressing limited job opportunities, poverty and facilitating private sector development.

For journalists interested in following the economy and the business environment in Afghanistan the mission's findings are available on the IMF website www.imf.org/external/country/AFG/index.htm . In addition the World Bank is tomorrow releasing its Doing Business in South Asia 2007 report. The report will be available from 9am Washington time and 1830 Kabul time at the http://www.doingbusiness.org/southasia website.

MRRD Activities in Kandahar
As you may already know a number of Government-led development initiatives are underway this spring in southern Afghanistan , with Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Mohammed Ehsan Zia mid-way through a programme of visits aimed at spurring progress.

MRRD tells us that the Minister is back in Kandahar this week to look at new projects, including the construction of new clinics; schools; roads and the rebuilding of destroyed homes.

This is part of an ongoing development effort by the MRRD and its partners in Kandahar and will directly improve the lives of the rural communities in the province.

The Ministry is taking advantage of the improved security situation and has recently deployed over 35 staff to the province to push forward the implementation of projects. 5,800 internally-displaced people are also currently being supported by the MRRD in Kandahar .

Some 653 projects have been identified by communities, and so far 135 have been signed. Around 50 more will be looked at this week.

UNAMA builds Government Capacity in Kunduz
UNAMA's office in Kunduz has completed a series of workshops for Government officials, members of parliament, and civil society players aimed at putting local people at the heart of decision-making concerning new development projects in their communities.

With these workshops the Provincial Development Programme has been finalized and is now awaiting the approval of the Provincial Development Committee.

Training of this kind is being provided so that people understand, among other things, how they can go about applying for and obtaining financial support to start new projects.

Participants included Provincial Directors of Government departments, Provincial Council members, all Districts Managers, journalists, civil society and community elders, UN agencies, other members of the International Community, and local international non-Governmental organisations.

The workshops also included sessions on the Afghanistan Compact, Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Seven Children die in Bagram District in Parwan
A team from the Ministry of Public Health supported by WHO has identified a serious outbreak of acute respiratory infection which has resulted in the deaths of seven children in Bagram district of Parwan.

The children came from three villages - Qala Jala, Bag Dara and Naz Dara, which are about fifty kilometres from the centre of Parwan. These areas are covered by a clinic.

WHO has sent medical supplies and is supporting the investigation to identify the cause of death. Over one hundred patients have so far been treated during the course of this specific investigation.

The investigation will continue and the health of children will be monitored. The Ministry of Public Health and WHO will also continue their health education outreach to help prevent future deaths from acute respiratory infection.

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is one of the leading causes of mortality in children under five years of age in developing countries. It is responsible for an estimated 1.9 million deaths annually.

Question and Answers:

Question (Radio Free Europe ): Do you have an update report from Musa Qala district? Have people been displaced from their homes? Are you concerned about casualties if Afghan security forces start a military operation there?

Spokesman: As of a couple of hours ago, I was informed that the door is still open on the negotiations that Governor Wafa is leading with the elders and others there. So for the moment the focus is on trying to find a negotiated solution. Also, from the reports that we are hearing life in Musa Qala itself is at present relatively normal in terms of shops being open and so forth. The most immediate concern for the United Nations is humanitarian -- the needs of people who have left Musa Qala. The information that we have at the moment is that around 500-600 families have fled. Governor Wafa has been talking about initiatives to help displaced people and I suspect the Government will also be talking about this in the coming days. As always, UN agencies are supporting and ready to support any humanitarian needs that arise.

Question: You mentioned the possibility of civilian casualties if the Nato and Afghan forces launch an attack.

Spokesman: We'll have to see where this goes. Let's hope that a peaceful solution can be found. I am not sure you need me to reiterate our position on the need to avoid civilian casualties. This is a duty that is stated in international law and everyone has an obligation to do so [protect civilians from harm] in conflict situations.

Question (Radio Killid) [ translated from Dari ]: The question is about Musa Qala. At a press briefing yesterday, the Ministry of Interior said that the Taliban believes that if the Government forces do not enter Musa Qala they will be ready to surrender and hand over Musa Qala peacefully to the elders. However, on the other hand, MoI, MoD, Nato and Isaf are preparing to attack Musa Qala. What is the UN's position on this?

Spokesman: As I said, my understanding as of this morning is that negotiations are continuing and the focus is on whether these negotiations will yield results. Clearly if negotiations fail, we are moving into the realm of military operations, but let's wait and see.

Question (Good Morning Afghanistan) [ translated from Dari ]: UNAMA‘s position has always been that the Taliban should retreat peacefully from Musa Qala. If the Taliban retreat peacefully, where should they go? What is your view on this?

Spokesman: A peaceful solution is preferable to conflict. The key thing to remember in the context of Afghanistan is that solutions have to accord with the Constitution. As for the Taliban themselves, you would have to ask individual members in Musa Qala and sitting in the surrounding area where they come from. Some Taliban as you know come from this country. With any peaceful solution, all we are looking for is for people to return to their homes and get on with rebuilding this country. Clearly we think that rebuilding Afghanistan and creating progress here is a far more productive endeavour than fighting.

Question (BBC): You just mentioned that people fighting in Musa Qala come from inside Afghanistan . Meanwhile, Mr Wafa, the Governor of Helmand expressed to many media yesterday saying that right now there are several hundred fighters that have come from Pakistan and they are made up of many different nationalities. Some of them are Saudi Arabian, Arabs and Chechens and others. Do you have any information about this and what is UNAMA stance on neighbouring Pakistan , which is accused by Wafa of assisting foreign fighters to enter Afghanistan ?

Spokesman: First of all, let me make quite clear, UNAMA does not know where individual members of the Taliban or others who are currently in Musa Qala come from. What we do know is that the conflict in Afghanistan has its roots in this country and in the region. We continue to believe that combating a problem like this requires a cooperative effort on the part of all, not just Afghanistan , but the surrounding region and the international community.

Question: Again, the question relates to the negotiations in Musa Qala. Yesterday's comment by the former Taliban Foreign Minister who requested that President Karzai should negotiate with the Taliban to avoid bloodshed in Afghanistan . What is UNAMA's position on this?

Spokesman: It is exactly as I've said. We are open to any solutions that might achieve a peaceful end to the situation here. Stabilisation is a goal for everyone working in Afghanistan . But, the key point again, is that everything has to be in accordance with the Constitution that Afghanistan has created for itself.

Question: Do the talks include Hekmatyar, Haqqani, Mullah Omar and other top Taliban leaders or not?

Spokesman: I think you're in danger of jumping ahead of the game here. What we're saying is that at the end of the day fighting will have to stop in Afghanistan and there will have to be peace. Any way forward on peace has to be on the basis of the Constitution and I think that's as clear as I can possibly make it.

Question: We as journalists and we are in contact with the people, very often the question they frequently ask us is why the list human rights violators are not displayed every month in the media? What is UNAMA's position in disclosing these names?

Spokesman: I think you know that UNAMA was involved in a mapping report, which I think you are referring to from a couple of years ago? That was based on open source material, which you yourselves have written about, as well as others – that information is in the public domain. There is considerable information around about human violations from Afghanistan 's past in a number of documents and reports that are easily available. In our view, and this is an element of the Government's Action Plan on Peace, Reconciliation and Justice, it is important that debate on can start, can flourish, and is encouraged in Afghanistan on the very difficult question of how to deal with the past. From experience in other countries we know that discussion of these issues can be painful. But we recognise that discussion, whether it is in Parliament, whether it is in the NGO community and civil society, whether it's in the press, wherever it is – we recognise that it is part of the process of working towards healing. On your specific proposal, I don't think that's something that UN can particularly comment upon. But anything that helps to foster debate in a healthy manner would probably be welcome.

Thank you.