European Parliament recognizes failure of operation in Afghanistan

The international military intervention in Afghanistan has failed and
even aggravated the security situation in the country, the European
Parliament announced today at its meeting in Strasbourg, RIA Novosti
reports.

The parliamentarians expressed their concern at the deteriorating
socio-economic and security indicators in Afghanistan, as well as the
fact that the Afghan population regards the international force for
promoting security (ISAF) as "an occupying force".

The European Parliament considers it necessary in respect of
Afghanistan to apply strategies more focused on civil society, rather
than on military operations, which would include measures to eradicate
poverty and discrimination against women and the elimination of opium
poppy cultivation, in which about 3.4 million Afghans are involved.