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CNN Live At Daybreak

Kofi Annan First U.N. Top Diplomat in Afghanistan in 42 years

Aired January 25, 2002 - 05:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Lots going on this morning. The interim leader of Afghanistan is certainly in the spotlight. He's been holding talks in Kabul today with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Hamid Karzai just returned home after a trip that took him to four countries where he raised money to rebuild Afghanistan.

CNN's Richard Roth joins us live from the Afghan capital, Kabul.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're minutes away from a news conference by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Hamid Karzai, the interim leader of this fledgling Afghanistan government. A very hectic crowded scene here at the presidential palace in the capital, Kabul.

Karzai and Annan have already met today. Annan is having lunch here at the palace. Annan and Karzai are expected to announce the new special panel of 21 members that will then create the Loya Jirga, hundreds of people, the special assembly to chart the future for this country.

Annan also visited a girls' school here in Afghanistan. Youngsters such as these have not been permitted to get an education out in public. They've gotten it back at home. Annan also talked to the United Nations staff. Many of them Afghans who put their lives on the line working here during the war even while the United Nations pulled out its international staff.

Secretary General Kofi Annan becomes the first U.N. top diplomat to visit here in Afghanistan in 42 years since Dag Hammarskjold in 1959.

The priorities, of course, are major for the United Nations and Secretary General Annan. It's education, it's infrastructure, and most important, security here. A lot of guns still on the streets, a lot of areas of Afghanistan, regional areas still not officially "under control."

Secretary General Annan comes here with $4.5 billion at his back that he gathered in Tokyo, observing the world donate money to help Afghanistan get back on its feet.

This news conference will begin momentarily. Afghan security people standing by, standing right next to me. But they're not used to having many presidential news conferences here. They're going to certainly get the hang of it. There is news media from around the world gathered here.

Secretary General Annan will not overnight here in Kabul. There was concern about his security. Facilities are not exactly expansive for United Nations staffers to come in flying in. He'll head off to Tehran and arrives here after visiting Pakistan. Annan's plane had barely taken off from the airport when India launched a missile test in the skies, perhaps a diplomatic signal of sorts. India did not accept Secretary General Annan on a visit this time, citing scheduling problems. Pakistan was more than interested in turning out the welcome mat for the U.N. secretary general.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Richard Roth reporting live for us from Kabul. We'll have more on the India situation for you in just a bit.

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