KABUL – Sources from Afghanistan government said the United NationsSecurity Council (UNSC) delegation arrived in Kabul on Saturday afternoonto assess Afghanistan’s security and political situation.
Head of the UN Security Council and the United States representative toAfghanistan is also among the delegation who will meet with National UnityGovernment leaders.
“We have repeatedly complained to United Nations Security Council, but sofar we have not received any response,” Asif Seddiqi, the deputy speaker ofMeshrano Jirga, Upper House of Parliament, told TOLOnews.
Kazakhstan Ambassador Kairat Umarov told reporters last week on Thursdaythat a trip would give members the opportunity to get an understanding ofthe country’s needs and prospects.
“The UN Security Council has an obligation to assess such effective casesand they have come here to investigate in this regard and find asolution,”Mohammad Saleh Saleh, an MP, told TOLOnews.
Government sources said regional problems, especially counterterrorismefforts are the main topics that the delegation and the Afghan governmentofficials will discuss on.
“We will be able to witness a lasting peace in the future if the UnitedNations will build regional cooperation on Afghanistan,” MP FakooriBeheshti said.
Afghanistan so far has registered two complaints at UNSC and both areagainst Pakistan. The first complaint is about Pakistan’s rocket attacks onAfghanistan’s soil and the second is about the provision of safe havensto terrorist groups by Pakistan who are fighting against the Afghangovernment and its allies.
The delegation will assess the complaints and then will discusses on themat UN Security Council.
Last year in December, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative forAfghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto said at the UN Security Council that themost concerning issue relating to Afghanistan was that of violence andinsecurity.
He said a convincing peace process was needed in order to end the 40 yearsof conflict, which has left 39 percent of the population under the povertyline, including 3.3 million in acute need of humanitarian aid.
He stated that the Kabul Process meeting planned for 1 February offers anopportunity to start a peace process.
He said, at this meeting, the Afghan government is expected to present itsstrategic concept for reaching a political settlement with the armedopposition, and seek the support of the international community.