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CNN Sunday Morning

Talks on New Afghan Government Enter Sixth Day

Aired December 02, 2001 - 07:16   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Near Bonn, Germany, representatives of Afghanistan's many ethnic religious and political groups are paving the way for a post-Taliban government. The talks on a power sharing agreement are now in their sixth day.

CNN's Bettina Luescher is covering that summit.

Good morning to you, Bettina.

BETTINA LUESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Martin.

The Afghan delegates are now studying the first draft of an agreement. They are currently taking a little bit longer than they had expected. The translations were running a little bit late, so now, they are thinking about, they say, will talk later on in the day with the U.N. special representative for Afghanistan, to see what their reaction is and whether they can really cut a deal here.

And if you see the outline, I have to admit, as a political scientist, you would have a field day with this because it's really a road map of how Afghanistan should be governed, could be governed over the next three years or so. First, there will be an interim administration that will run the country for some six months or so, less than 30 people.

And they are hoping to name the head of this interim administration and of the members and the delegates and who would get what portfolio while they were still here in Koenigswinter. Then, a lawyer, Gergo (ph) would come. That's a traditional council of elders. They, in turn, then would lead to the second phase, the transition administration that would run the country for 18 months.

Basically, what the U.N. is saying here, they are warning a little bit that of course, one grain of sand could still stop all of this. But they are saying that they are agreeing in substance. They're now just discussing procedure. The names are in important. So some details still have to be worked to out. And they are still hoping to wrap this up very soon -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Bettina, the sticking points with the Northern Alliance, they seem to have been ironed out now?

LUESCHER: Well, what the U.N. is saying is that the team here now in Koenigswinter really have the authority to make the deal. As you know, over the last few days, there was a lot of talk back and forth between Kabul and here, Koenigswinter and a lot of discussions also in Kabul among the Northern Alliance of how far this process here in Bonn should go. And the indications are that there is apparently an agreement that, you know, these Bonn talks here should really come to a conclusion and should come to an agreement.

So there's cautious optimism, I think you would say, but still warnings that, you know, a grain sand could both stop this.

SAVIDGE: All right, CNN's Bettina Luescher joining us from near Bonn, Germany. Thank you very much.

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