GHENT (Belgium), Oct 19: EU leaders on Friday backed away from a proposal calling for the overthrow of the Taliban, instead urging the elimination of the Al Qaeda network in a draft declaration obtained before the close of the summit.

Leaders of the 15 European Union nations altered an early draft summit declaration urging the removal of the Taliban and called instead for “elimination of the terrorist al-Qaeda”.

A copy of the draft said the EU “confirms its firmest support for the military operations”, adding that they were being conducted “legitimately” under the terms of UN Security Council resolutions.

“In Afghanistan, the objective remains the elimination of the terrorist al-Qaeda organization, which is at the origin of the September 11 attacks and whose leaders have not been turned over by the Taliban regime,” said the draft.

The summit draft added it was “necessary, beginning now, under the aegis of the United Nations, to work to encourage the emergence of a stable, legitimate government that is representative of the whole of the Afghan population, respectful of human rights and of developing good relations with all neighboring countries”.

“As soon as this goal is attained,” it said, “the European Union will commit itself along with the international community to a broad and ambitious programme of aid and reconstruction in Afghanistan with a view to stabilization of the region.”

According to the earlier draft drawn up by the Belgian EU presidency, debate was to have been on the overthrow of the Taliban regime.—AFP