Akhir 12, 1432 H/March 17, 2011, SPA -- Germany on Thursday called for the UN Security Council to extend the UN mission in Afghanistan by a further 12 months so that it can purse the task of empowering the Kabul government in dealing with the conflict, according to dpa. German UN Ambassador Peter Wittig, whose country maintains a sizable security force in Afghanistan, said the council was united behind Kabul and that negotiations for a new mandate were well underway. The new mandate for the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) would run until March 2012. "It is the quality of the cooperation between the UN and the people of Afghanistan that will ultimately decide upon our success," Wittig said. "Given what we have achieved and invested, my delegation is convinced that we have every reason to continue to work together for a prosperous and secure Afghanistan." Afghan President Hamid Karzai has launched a period of transition and reconciliation to allow his government to prepare to assume responsibilities, from security to development, in the country.
