KABUL - Russia is making Afghanistan the priority of the UN Security Council for the month of March as it assumes the council's rotating presidency, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The presidency rotates monthly in alphabetical order of the Security Council member nations' names in English. The role involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing the response to any crisis.

"The situation in Afghanistan will be a priority of Russia's presidency as that country is entering a very responsible stage of its development, which requires new efforts from the people of Afghanistan and consolidated support from the entire international community," the ministry said in a statement ahead of the Friday transfer.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will chair a UN Security Council meeting March 19 on Afghanistan. A resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) will be adopted at the meeting.

The agenda of the Russian presidency will also address the Middle East issues, the settlement of the situation in Kosovo, and the Libyan sanctions regime, among other issues.

The Council has 15 members, including five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms. (Tolo News)