Afghanistan: Britain opens diplomatic mission

Britain has become the first Western country to open a diplomatic mission in Afghanistan, and the top diplomat said today he would be looking for ways to speed up the flow of aid to the country.

Stephen Evans, whose title is British representative to Afghanistan, said he had been meeting senior members of the northern alliance since he arrived in the country four days earlier.

Britain strongly supports the UN efforts to help Afghanistan form a new government, which includes a conference of major Afghan groups beginning Monday in Germany.

‘‘It’s very good news that the meeting is going ahead,’’ Evans said in a brief news conference outside the front gate of the walled compound.

Evans said that the small number of British troops at the Bagram air base north of Kabul were working to determine whether it could be used for large-scale aid deliveries.

He also said the British troops ‘‘were working together very well’’ with US forces at the base, but did not give any details.

Afghanistan needs large quantities of humanitarian aid quickly, and Britain was in the process of opening an aid office he said.

‘‘We are committed to increasing the flow of humanitarian aid,’’ Evans said.

The sign on the wall behind him read British Embassy, but Evans stressed that the mission was not yet a full-fledged embassy, and that Britain was not yet prepared to recognise any government in Afghanistan.

Britain and other Western embassies pulled out of Afghanistan more than a decade ago, and have yet to fully re-open.