UN to tackle Afghan 'catastrophe'

Tens of thousands of Afghans are trying to flee

The United Nations has agreed to convene an international conference on aid to Afghanistan, President Jacques Chirac of France says.

The conference, intended to avert what Mr Chirac called a humanitarian catastrophe, would focus on the logistics of getting aid to Afghanistan.

It is not just refugees but all the Afghan people who are in a precarious situation. And winter is about to start,

President Chirac

President Chirac, speaking at UN headquarters in New York, insisted that money was not the problem - what was needed was organisation and drive.

But Peter Kessler of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has told the BBC that the Taleban and the collapse of law and order in Afghanistan were the main obstacles to humanitarian efforts.

He said that if the Taleban would co-operate with the UN by returning stolen vehicles and allowing staff still inside the country to carry out their work, much aid could still be distributed.

The UN conference initiated by Mr Chirac would bring together donor countries, representatives from Afghanistan's neighbours, and non-governmental organisations.

President Chirac is visiting Washington and New York

Mr Chirac said he had also suggested that a senior person be appointed to co-ordinate the humanitarian effort.

The UN estimates that around 5 million people in Afghanistan are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance; 100,000 children may die this winter if aid does not get to them soon.

Tens of thousands of refugees are trying to get into neighbouring countries who have closed their borders.

In other developments

• Afghan opposition Northern Alliance forces say they have captured three villages near Mazar-e-Sharif, but the Taleban say they fought them off
• Pentagon officials deny reports that a US helicopter crashed in Pakistan after being fired on by the Taleban
• UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says the Taleban have "virtually merged" with the al-Qaeda terror group.
• The US transport secretary says the security breach at Chicago's O'Hare airport was a failure of dramatic dimensions
• An FBI investigation determines that the threat of possible terrorist attacks on bridges in California and other western states was not considered credible

Alternative government

Mr Chirac also emphasised the need for an agreement on what kind of government should replace the Taleban if, as he hoped, it fell from power.

The BBC's correspondent at the UN, Stephen Cviic, says President Chirac is keen to step up France's involvement in the Afghan crisis.

But although he supports the American military campaign he is trying to emphasise other kinds of action.

So far only Britain has joined US-led air strikes

Mr Chirac said a senior person should be appointed to co-ordinate the humanitarian effort and Britain and France would put forward a resolution on Afghanistan's political future to be debated in the Security Council next week.

Our correspondent says President Chirac does not want to be seen as critical of the war.

The president pointed out that France had already made 2,000 troops available for the campaign and said Paris was ready, in principle, to respond to a request from Washington for the use of French special forces.

But by stressing the political and humanitarian aspects of the crisis Mr Chirac is responding to pressure from French public opinion which is increasingly concerned by the morality and effectiveness of what the West is doing in Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, after talks with President Chirac at the White House, President Bush called for action by members of the international coalition in the fight against terrorism.

Mr Bush said that if countries wanted to fight terror, they must do more than express sympathy, they must act - and act quickly.