We've come a long way since the first voices in our country called for a new role for Canada in Afghanistan. Internationally and in Canada, we are seeing a new will emerging to turn the page and begin a more balanced policy toward Afghanistan.

Gone are the name-calling and overheated rhetoric. Gone is the questioning of support for our troops. In their place is recognition of the limits of force in dealing with a situation that has its roots in politics and the economy. World leaders are now looking for ways to stabilize Afghanistan and the region.

President Obama has made significant shifts in America's Afghanistan policy. A surge in troop levels will be accompanied by greater emphasis on security and political outcomes. Envoy Richard Holbrooke will be a formidable advocate for diplomatic resolution. A high-level UN conference, called for by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will begin mapping out a strategy for regional stability at The Hague on March 31. In a significant move by the U. S. administration, Iran will be invited.

In Canada, the Department of National Defence has admitted that the "insurgency is a political problem. The mere attrition of insurgents is highly unlikely to result in [their] defeat." Prime Minister Harper, an ardent supporter of staying the course, confessed recently that Canada will not win this war just by staying.

I'm glad Prime Minister Harper now sees that stability and peace require negotiation. New Democrats have been trying to convince him of that for some time. But what matters now is determining our next steps.

Our skills and reputation as a peacemaker give Canada the basis for an active role after our troops withdraw in 2011. We must begin laying the foundations for that diplomatic role now. I believe that a special envoy, who may be more concerned with our national interest, will not have a significant impact.

For any peace initiative to work, informal discussions have to prepare the ground, identify regional partners and discover and test new political ideas and solutions. Canada can take the lead on this by appointing an eminent persons group to take on this task, as recently and similarly proposed in these pages by Professor Fen Osler Hampson.

Two eminent persons who would make an excellent basis for such a group are former UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and former permanent observer of the Organization of Islamic Conference to the United Nations Mokhtar Lamani, who is Canadian. Our foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar is currently advocating this approach -- and these candidates -- at an international conference in the U. K.

These individuals possess credibility and respect in the region. They understand the challenges. They have the contacts and the previous experience necessary to open new avenues of dialogue with key constituents and affected parties. They can establish the basis for more formal talks.

This group would have many advantages. It would broaden the scope of diplomacy to actively include more external actors. It would ensure that the scope of engagement includes the people of Afghanistan -- in particular, women -- and their civil society representatives, not just the warring factions and regional power players.

It would maximize engagement with moderate elements of the insurgency, including those who are fighting with the Taliban not for ideological reasons,

but for food and money to support their families. Targeted engagement is critical to isolating the small percentage of extreme ideologues among the insurgents.

United Nations leadership is essential, and therefore this group would function independently of Canada and as a part of broader UN effort for peace-building in the region. However, establishing such a group could be a major Canadian contribution. It would be our "political surge" as called for by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Kai Eide. It would also align well with our efforts to obtain a seat on the Security Council in 2010, by demonstrating our maturity and skill in resolving conflicts.

We missed the opportunity for more rigorous diplomacy over the past seven years in Afghanistan. We must now act with determination to achieve lasting stability and peace in the region.

Without a focused framework and diplomatic muscle, the great efforts and sacrifices made to date will go less rewarded.

The Hon. Jack Layton MP

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1396155 [5]