UNSC delegation in Kabul to meet Govt leaders

KABUL (TOLONews): Sources from government said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegation arrived in Kabul on Saturday afternoon to assess Afghanistan’s security and political situation.

Head of the UN Security Council and the United States representative to Afghanistan is also among the delegation who will meet with National Unity Government leaders.

“We have repeatedly complained to United Nations Security Council, but so far we have not received any response,” Asif Seddiqi, the deputy speaker of Meshrano Jirga, Upper House of Parliament, told TOLOnews.

Kazakhstan Ambassador Kairat Umarov told reporters last week on Thursday that a trip would give members the opportunity to get an understanding of the country’s needs and prospects.

“The UN Security Council has an obligation to assess such effective cases and they have come here to investigate in this regard and find a solution,”Mohammad Saleh Saleh, an MP, told TOLOnews.

Government sources said regional problems, especially counterterrorism efforts are the main topics that the delegation and the Afghan government officials will discuss on.

“We will be able to witness a lasting peace in the future if the United Nations will build regional cooperation on Afghanistan,” MP Fakoori Beheshti said.

Afghanistan so far has registered two complaints at UNSC and both are against Pakistan. The first complaint is about Pakistan’s rocket attacks on Afghanistan’s soil and the second is about the provision of safe havens to terrorist groups by Pakistan who are fighting against the Afghan government and its allies.

The delegation will assess the complaints and then will discusses on them at UN Security Council.

Last year in December, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto said at the UN Security Council that the most concerning issue relating to Afghanistan was that of violence and insecurity.

He said a convincing peace process was needed in order to end the 40 years of conflict, which has left 39 percent of the population under the poverty line, including 3.3 million in acute need of humanitarian aid.

He stated that the Kabul Process meeting planned for 1 February offers an opportunity to start a peace process.

He said, at this meeting, the Afghan government is expected to present its strategic concept for reaching a political settlement with the armed opposition, and seek the support of the international community.