PO-792: Public Affairs Director Fratto - Statement on Reconstruction Assistance To Afghanistan



	FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS November 15, 2001 PO-792 "Statement by Tony Fratto, Director of Public Affairs Senior Officials Meeting on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan" The United States and Japan will co-chair a meeting of senior officials at the State Department on Tuesday, November 20 to discuss the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Officials are being invited from countries and international institutions that are likely to play a vital role in the long-term process of Afghanistan's reconstruction. This is just a first step in that long-term process, a process that we foresee will expand to include all members of the international community committed to a prosperous future for Afghanistan. The meeting aims at developing a common approach to how the international community can initially support rehabilitation and reconstruction in Afghanistan and at the next steps to bring this about. It will begin as well the process of eliciting support needed to offer the Afghan people a positive vision for a post-Taliban future. The meeting is being held on short notice in response to the far-reaching developments on the ground in Afghanistan.