We talked to the human rights people before we came here and we were very much impressed by how much the human rights people are doing in this country and especially in Herat. The situation of women certainly might have improved but we had the feeling after what we heard from the human rights people that a lot still has to be done. The Security Council and the international community are aware of the fact that you can build a sustained, peaceful and successful society only if you include women. Women not only have human rights as men have, but women are also a very valuable human resource and every society should not waste this human resource because it consists of 50 percent of the population.

Question: The Deputy Governor gave some guarantee about the human rights situation?

Ambassador Pleuger: No we have not come to get guarantees here but to discuss issues and that is what we have done and we have also made the point about human rights in our discussions with the [Deputy] Governor.

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