KABUL - President Ashraf Ghani and members of a visiting UN Security Council have conferred on the increasingly volatile security situation in Afghanistan and the region at large.
Efforts against terrorism, corruption, drugs-trafficking, acceleration of the peace process and preparations for parliamentary elections were also discussed, the Presidential Palace said on Monday.
Administrative reforms, strengthening women’s participation in governance and the UN role in the fields of security and development in Afghanistan were also reviewed at the meeting late on Sunday.
President of UNSC Kairat Umarov and envoys from.US, China, UK, Russia and France are part of the visiting team, which will also meet senior government officials, including CEO Abdullah.
“It was noted that pressure on Pakistan should be increased for ensuring stability in Afghanistan. In the meantime, joint steps should be taken for talks,” the statement from Ghani’s office said.
Afghanistan had made good progress in strengthening economic ties with central Asian countries, Russia, China and Iran, the president was quoted as telling with the UN diplomats.
Ghani added efforts were ongoing for boosting the Kabul-Moscow relationship but Pakistan had refused to cooperate with Afghanistan. He shared with his interlocutors evidence of terror groups being trained and funded outside Afghanistan.
The president reiterated his administration’s “strong will” to hold the elections. “As a president, I will not allow myself to meddle in the affairs of the Independent Election Commission.”
Previous funds for elections had not been used effectively, the president alleged, promising the electoral system would be cleaned up.
The president welcomed the new US strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia and emphasized on intra-Afghan peace dialogue and peace with Pakistan.
UNSC President Umarov said the team’s visit to Kabul, the first after since 2010, was intended to assess progress made in various areas in Afghanistan, particularly peace and progress.
He said that UNSC was exploring ways of enhanced coordination and cooperation among different regional and international organizations.
Security and stability in Afghanistan was crucial to security in the region, remarked the US ambassador to the UN. Haley said the UNSC team was visiting Kabul to pledge more support to Afghanistan.
The delegation pledged UN’s enhanced cooperation in ending the 17-year war in Afghanistan. (Pajhwok)