In an immense air-conditioned tent in Kabul, a new Afghan government is being born.

More than 1,500 delegates from throughout the country assembled yesterday for ceremonies marking the opening of the grand council, or loya jirga, charged with choosing leaders and establishing a form of government.

International peacekeepers stood watch inside and outside the tent amid tight security. The council, expected to last until the weekend, hopes to bring an end to decades of violence in the country of 22 million people.

Council Chairman Ismail Qasim Yar opened the session with the hope that "this loya jirga, with unity and shared hearts, can solve the problems that have faced our land for 23 years."