First elected Afghan parliament in three decades sworn in

Afghanistan’s first popularly elected parliament in more than three decades convened today, marking a major step toward democracy following the ouster of the hardline Taliban. US Vice-President Dick Cheney flew in to attend the opening session, which was held under intense security.

The session began with a reading from the Quran, the national anthem and a folksong song by schoolgirls dressed in brightly colored robes. After the delegates were sworn in, President Hamid Karzai called the gathering a display of Afghan unity. ‘‘This gathering shows that all of the people of Afghanistan are unified,’’ Karzai said. ‘‘This is an important step toward democracy.’’ He said the approval of a constitution and the establishment of the national assembly ‘‘bring us all under one roof to discuss our problems’’. The 249-seat body is made up of an eclectic mix of tribal leaders, westernised former refugees, warlords, women and ethnic minorities, in itself a victory for a nation recovering from a ruinous civil war. Afghans voted for the Lower House in September, and also elected provincial councils that then chose two-thirds of the 102-seat upper chamber. Karzai appointed the remaining 34.