Powell maps Afghan future

The US sees a major transitional role for UN peacekeepers

By the BBC's Jon Leyne, travelling with US Secretary of State Colin Powell

US Secretary of State Colin Powell has given a detailed blueprint of how the United States sees the future of Afghanistan, if and when the Taleban regime collapses.

The former Afghan king, Zahir Shah, could be a rallying point

Mr Powell spoke of the deployment of peacekeepers and a major transitional role for the United Nations.

A US envoy is expected to visit the United Nations headquarters shortly to discuss the plan.

Mr Powell offered the most detailed ideas so far on Afghanistan's future after two days of productive discussions with the Indian and Pakistani governments.

Speaking to reporters on his plane en route to China, Mr Powell said there was the danger of a political vacuum if the Taleban were ousted.

'Broad-based assemblage'

He suggested that there should be a gathering of Afghan individuals and leaders - a broad-based assemblage, as he put it - to plan for the future.

The former king, Zahir Shah, should be a rallying point.

Then, he said, the UN would move in to provide a sense of order, fulfilling an interim role.

There would be peacekeepers, though he did not specify if they would be UN peacekeepers.

The US secretary of state gave the example of the UN operations in Cambodia or East Timor, although he stressed they would not be used as models.

All of this depends, of course, on ousting the Taleban from power.

Mr Powell said he hoped the military pressure would produce results as soon as possible.

The secretary of state is now at a meeting of Asian and Pacific leaders in Shanghai.

It provides the ideal opportunity to win endorsement of these ideas from the Russians, the Chinese and others with an interest in Afghanistan.