| Subject |
MP
challenges Government to tackle Afghanistan's illegal drugs
trade
|
| Ref |
PR/06-125 |
| Date |
Thursday
6th April 2006 |
Tobias Ellwood
MP has called for the Government to acknowledge that the security
of British troops currently being deployed to Afghanistan is being
undermined by a failure to tackle the countries illegal drugs trade.
A report published
today by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee acknowledged
that troops were facing increased levels of violence which they
were poorly equipped to deal with. MPs warned that the more successfully
troops inhibit the drugs trade the greater the security risk to
them will be.
On the invitation
of NATO, Tobias visited Afghanistan last year. On the visit he was
able to see first hand the progress being made, he also joined 'ISAF',
NATO's International Security and Assistance Force in Kabul and
met President Kazai.
Tobias said:
"While
there is no question of the commitment of the troops to do their
task, the task itself means they are already over stretched and
therefore over exposed. We must recognise that peace in Afghanistan
can only be achieved by adequately tackling the problem of illegal
opium trading."
Tobias has recently
asked the Government to the look at legalising the opium trade in
the Helmand area of Afghanistan as a pilot scheme.
He explained:
"There
is a shortage of opium world wide, and legitimising Afghanistan's
crop would prevent terrorists from making financial gains. These
measures would also help stop heroin arriving on UK shores, over
90 percent of which comes from Afghanistan. Deal with the poppy
problem, and we will deal with much of the threat in Afghanistan."
Tobias is planning
to visit Afghanistan again later this year.
Ends
|
