Afghan envoy at UN condemns Ukraine invasion

KABUL (Tolo News): The chargé d’affaires of the Afghanistan permanent mission to the United Nations told TOLOnews that he would condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine on behalf of the people of Afghanistan at the General Assembly of the Eleventh Emergency Special Session on Ukraine. The UN General Assembly held a conference to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.
The chargé d’affaires of Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the UN, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, said that more than 100 states, including Afghanistan, supported the resolution that condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an obvious violation of international law and UN norms which stress respecting sovereignty and preventing violations of political independence of a country– and finding a peaceful settlement for the disputes between the countries,” he said.
“Afghanistan, which has unfortunately been affected by wars and the aggression of foreign powers–and its people have experienced its negative impacts–is always supporting international law and UN norms and reconciliation through summits and dialogues,” Faiq said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), however, urged the sides involved in the Ukraine tensions to resolve their dispute through negotiations, and said that it was concerned about the fate of the Afghan citizens living in Ukraine.
“The US and UN gave him the seat—so if he (Faiq) is talking about anything—it is his own opinion,” said Aziz Maarij, a former diplomat. US President Joe Biden in his annual State of the Union Address did not mention Afghanistan, but instead focused on the Russia and Ukraine.
Biden’s not mentioning the Afghan situation sparked reactions inside and outside Afghanistan. “No mention of the Afghanistan withdrawal last year in Biden’s SOTU speech. It’s almost as if the administration doesn’t want to talk about the thousands of Afghans we left behind,” said Josh Rogin, Washington Post Columnist, CNN Political Analyst.
“The US President not mentioning Afghanistan reflects that the world is engaged in the Ukraine war and Afghanistan has been sidelined,” said Hamid Aziz Mujadidi, a university instructor. Last Thursday, the Russian troops launched an-all out invasion of Ukraine.