At Prague meeting, EU pledges to help Afghanistan organize transparent elections

At a meeting chaired by Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg on Wednesday, the European Union pledged to help Afghanistan hold transparent and safe elections. Afghan foreign minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta was in Prague to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and the country’s relations with the EU. At the meeting, Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg also said that the EU planned to extend its mission training Afghan policemen. Mr Spanta then went on to meet Czech prime minister Mirek Topolánek to discuss Czech involvement in military and humanitarian activities in Afghanistan. The Czech Republic is taking part in the US-led operation Enduring Freedom against the Taliban and has a reconstruction team in the province of Logar.