WASHINGTON - Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul on Monday said his countrymen desired nothing more than the chance to live in a violence-free environment, believing putting an end to impunity would help build public confidence in Afghanistan's justice and security sectors.

"The chance to live in peace and security is a fundamental right of all peoples. The people of Afghanistan desire nothing more than the chance to live in a violence-free environment," Rassoul said, addressing a high-level meeting on the rule of law held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

For Afghanistan, he said, upholding the rule of law was an essential component of transition from a society ravaged by decades of conflict and war to one where they could work to take on the security, development and justice challenges. "Our efforts to rebuild began with state institutions that were either non-existent or severely weak," he said.

The foreign minister said Afghanistan's security sector reforms, initiated in 2001, had led to the formation of a national army and police with their ranks representing the diversity of the country. "Consistent with the transition process, our security forces are taking increased responsibility – back by public confidence in them – to meet the security needs of our peoples, in our villages, towns and provinces," he said.

He said asserted that defeating the menace of corruption remained a high priority for the Karzai government. Kabul has taken a number of measures to achieve a fully transparent administration, Rassoul said, citing a presidential decree issued this past July, the most recent measure in that direction.

The decree ordered sweeping reforms in ministries, agencies and independent directorates to defeat corruption and strengthen transparency.

"Afghanistan is party to a multitude of relevant treaties and conventions which seek to uphold and promote the rule of law in a wide array of spheres. We recognize that signing and ratifying treaties is not enough, and that rights and obligations arising from international instruments must be implemented into national law," he said.

It is for this reason that Karzai has instructed the Ministry of Justice to actively take forward the process of ensuring that our national legislation is in full conformity with their international commitments, the Foreign Minister said. (Pajhwok)