AFGHANISTAN DELEGATE CALLS FOR UNITED NATIONS MEASURES AGAINST CRIMES OF AGGRESSION AND RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN HIS COUNTRY
Press Release
GA/9384
AFGHANISTAN DELEGATE CALLS FOR UNITED NATIONS MEASURES AGAINST CRIMES OF AGGRESSION AND RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN HIS COUNTRY
19971216 Pakistan Tells General Assembly World Body Has Become Marginal; Others Plead for Reconciliation among Contending PartiesThe United Nations had either been silent on the crimes of aggression in Afghanistan or incapable of taking action against them, that country's representative told the General Assembly this afternoon. He described as inadequate the Organization's efforts to ease the suffering of his people, including violations of the rights of women and girls.
As the Assembly debated the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, the representative said the United Nations had taken no concrete measures against the Taliban or their extremist "cross-border supporters". He said all cities and towns, including Kabul, should be demilitarized. Rather than trying to impose an arms embargo, those sending weapons to Afghanistan should be persuaded to halt the transfer.
The representative of Pakistan told the Assembly his Government rejected any linkage between international reconstruction assistance and the restoration of peace in all parts of Afghanistan. There had been no fighting in three quarters of the country for over a year and the rehabilitation should begin in those areas. The United Nations had gradually marginalized itself in Afghanistan and lost credibility as an impartial mediator, which was unfortunate, given its essential role in the multilateral effort to bring peace to the country.
According to the Russian Federation, recent encouraging developments, including contact between the Taliban and certain representatives of the Afghanistan governing coalition, should be promoted. Those efforts could end armed conflict and begin a political dialogue geared towards national reconciliation and establishment of a broad-based government. His Government supported an international conference on Afghanistan which was well organized and based on agreements between the parties.
The representative of India said it was unfortunate that the fighting had taken place along ethnic lines. The Afghan national personality transcended ethnic consciousness, and international efforts should sustain and
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strengthen it rather than sharpen ethnic cleavages. International diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan should not be confined to a limited group of countries, but take advantage of the role that could be played by nations with an interest in and influence on Afghanistan.
Also this afternoon, a draft resolution on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan was introduced by the representative of Germany. The Assembly postponed action on the draft to allow for consideration of budgetary implications.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Iran, Japan, Luxembourg, on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, and Egypt.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m., tomorrow, 17 December, to consider assistance in mine clearance.
Assembly Work Programme
The Assembly met this afternoon to consider the question of emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war- stricken Afghanistan and to take action on a related draft resolution.
The Assembly had before it the report of the Secretary-General (document A/52/358) on the item which is submitted pursuant to Assembly resolution 51/195 B, in which the Secretary-General was asked to report every three months on the progress of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan (UNSMA). The report, which covers the three-month period from June 16 to September 17, is also submitted in response to a Security Council request for regular information on the developments in Afghanistan.
After describing the continuing armed conflict during the three-month period, the report notes that in an unchanged Afghan political situation, the Taliban controlled Kabul and the predominantly Pushtun-populated regions, while the Northern Alliance, comprising principally of the Uzbek, Tajik and Hazara ethnic groups, controlled areas from Mazar-i-Sharif, Taluqan and Bamyan. The country's largely ethnic divisions, were a troubling aspect. The six constituent parties of the Northern Alliance continued efforts to form a more coherent political grouping under the name "United Islamic and National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan" (UNIFSA). Rejecting the Front as the legal government, the Taliban continued attempts to gain international recognition by sending delegations to Japan, Republic of Korea, China and Thailand.
Foreign military support to both sides continued during the review period and the supply of war matériel, fuel and other logistical support allowed the fighting to continue and vitiated United Nations attempts to mediate an end to the conflict, the report states. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remained serious. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported in August that the number of direct victims of the conflict had risen sharply since the beginning of the year and also observed that the death rate among war casualties in districts north of the capital was alarmingly high due to lack of appropriate care. A joint mission of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated emergency food aid was also required to meet the needs of some 1.75 million people.
The report goes on to say that the UNMSA continued its contacts with the warring parties to engage them in political dialogue. In meetings with the Mission, both the Taliban and their Northern Alliance opponents claimed a commitment to a negotiated settlement, although their deeds revealed a desire to gain the upper hand through military conquest. The report concludes that in view of the stalemated efforts to involve all the parties in political dialogue, on 29 July the Secretary-General appointed Lakhdar Brahimi as his Special Envoy on a short mission to consult interested and relevant countries
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and parties, as well as the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and to present a review of the United Nations peacemaking activities in Afghanistan. The Special Envoy began his mission on 15 August.
Another report of the Secretary-General (document A/52/536) addresses emergency humanitarian assistance by the Organization, its agencies, programmes and bodies and the international community and highlights the implementation of humanitarian programmes in conjunction with relevant Afghan bodies to address such issues as; internally displaced persons; mine clearance; voluntary repatriation; food aid; health; water supply and sanitation; education; food and agriculture; and vulnerable groups. It also focuses on the coordination of humanitarian programmes, outlines rehabilitation and development activities, drug control, drug control strategies and highlights financial contributions from Member States towards emergency humanitarian and rehabilitation programmes in Afghanistan.
In conclusion, the report states that in an unpredictable political and military situation in Afghanistan, humanitarian relief assistance remained critical for the survival of the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict. A political settlement was essential if the work undertaken by the aid agencies was to have a sustained impact in the longer term. The challenges faced by the various organizations working in Afghanistan had underlined the importance of strong coordination among the humanitarian, development, political and other partners, both national and international. Coordination and cooperation among United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and donors had improved and increased during the year. The formulation of a strategic framework is expected to create a better and more comprehensive understanding of the problems faced in Afghanistan.
The report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (document A/52/682- S/1997/894), which has also been considered by the Security Council (see Press Release SC/3841 of 16 December), states that the Afghan factions had failed to prove they were willing to lay down their arms and cooperate with the United Nations for peace. The main foreign supporters of the warring parties proclaimed their support for United Nations peacemaking efforts, but continued pouring in arms, money and other supplies to their preferred factions. Those external players must be held responsible for exacerbating the bloody conflict. The fire they had built was already spreading beyond the country's borders, posing a serious threat to the region and beyond in the shape of terrorism, banditry, narcotics trafficking, refugee flows, and increasing ethnic and sectarian tension.
An international framework must be established to address the external aspects of the conflict and provide neighbouring and other countries with an opportunity to discuss foreign interference, the Secretary-General says. The main objective would be to debate how those countries could help the United
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Nations bring the parties to the negotiating table, including effective and fair ways to curb the flow of arms and other war-making materials into Afghanistan.
An arms embargo would curb the flow of arms into Afghanistan, he states. If the cost estimates for such an embargo were too high, other ways would have to be found to end or significantly reduce the supply of arms and other materials to the warring factions. The meetings in New York of countries with influence in Afghanistan ("the Group of 21") and those of neighbouring and other countries ("the Group of Eight") were part of those efforts. The Secretary-General will continue convening informal meetings of representatives from those countries.
In his report, the Secretary-General states his intention to maintain, through UNSMA and at United Nations Headquarters, close contact with the warring parties, as well as with other influential Afghan individuals and organizations to prepare for an intra-Afghan dialogue. Such a dialogue should focus on a cease-fire, followed by political negotiations leading to a broad- based representative government. The UNSMA would continue playing the primary role in United Nations peacemaking activities.
In closing, the Secretary-General describes the situation in Afghanistan as a "seemingly endless tragedy of epic proportions". Further, he says it had become increasingly difficult to justify continued United Nations peace efforts and the attendant costs in the absence of any positive signs suggesting that the governments capable of contributing to a peaceful solution had changed their attitudes. A number of countries had begun discussing practical measures to persuade the parties to begin serious negotiations, but governments must do much more for United Nations peace efforts to stand a realistic chance of success.
By the terms of a two-part draft resolution, which deals with both emergency assistance to Afghanistan and the Afghan situation's implications for international peace and security (document A/52/L.68), the Assembly would call upon all Afghan parties to cease immediately all armed hostilities, to renounce the use of force and to engage, without preconditions, in a political dialogue aimed at achieving a lasting political settlement of the conflict. In so doing, the Assembly would stress that the main responsibility for finding a political solution to the conflict lies with the Afghan parties, and urge them to respond to the repeated United Nations calls for peace.
The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue efforts to develop plans for national reconstruction and rehabilitation, beginning in the areas of peace and security, and call upon the United Nations to coordinate its humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, in particular to ensure a consistent approach to human rights. The leaders of all Afghan parties would be called upon to place the highest priority on national reconciliation.
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Supporting the Secretary-General's efforts to reach a lasting political settlement, the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to authorize the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan to continue its support for national reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan, resulting in an immediate and durable cease-fire and leading to the formation of a fully representative, broad-based transitional government of national unity. All Afghan parties would be called upon to cooperate fully with the Special Mission, and ensure the safety and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel.
Calling upon all States to refrain from any outside interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, the Assembly would condemn foreign military support to the Afghan parties, which continued unabated through 1997. It would call on all States concerned to immediately end the supply of arms, ammunition, military equipment, training or any other military support to all parties to the conflict including the presence and involvement of foreign military personnel. It would also encourage the Secretary-General to pursue preliminary studies on the viability of an effective arms embargo.
The Assembly would denounce the continuing discrimination against girls and women and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, and call upon all Afghan parties to respect fully the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, in particular of women and girls. It would request the Secretary-General to continue to investigate fully reports about mass killings of prisoners of war and civilians and incidents of rape in Afghanistan and to include his findings in his next related report.
The Assembly would urgently appeal to all States, organizations and the United Nations system to provide all possible financial, technical and material assistance for the restoration and reconstruction of Afghanistan; and for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. Also, the international community would be called upon to respond to the inter-agency consolidated appeal for emergency humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance for Afghanistan.
Statements
TONO EITEL (Germany), introducing draft resolution A/52/L.68 on emergency assistance to Afghanistan, said Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Burundi, Chile, Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Hungary, Iceland, Malaysia, Norway, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan had become co-sponsors. Germany was grateful for its longstanding friendly relations with the Afghan people and regretted that the parties there continued fighting. The fighting did not change the balance of power, but caused large scale loss of life and destruction. The human rights situation was appalling. With the ongoing foreign interference, the United Nations was on an impossible mission.
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Germany would remain a strong and active supporter of United Nations activities in Afghanistan and of the "Frankfurt process" that was preparing the ground for intra-Afghan talks, he said. Germany had contributed more than 50 million Deutschmarks in assistance to Afghanistan, amounting to one third of the assistance made available by the European Union. The indiscriminate use of landmines was a daily threat to civilians. Since 1994, Germany has provided 8.4 million Deutschmarks for mine-clearance activities and would continue that support in 1998.
MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI (Iran) said the devastating war in Afghanistan had not only inflicted damage to the country's infrastructure, but had also caused tremendous hardships for the people. Adding to the misery was the imposition of harsh restrictions conducted in the name of Islam against the Afghan people particularly women and children. He said Islam had never prescribed those policies and practices which totally contradicted its principles. Equally disturbing was the illegal movement of criminals and the illicit traffic in arms and narcotics in Afghanistan, creating a state of insecurity and instability in the region and beyond.
Iran had endeavoured to bring about a negotiated settlement to the crisis. In its communications with the Afghan parties, it had always emphasized that a military solution was only an illusion -- a political solution could only begin with a cease-fire and cessation of hostilities, followed by negotiations between all Afghan groups towards the establishment of a broad-based government representing all Afghans.
He said that in all its peacemaking efforts, Iran had always reiterated the necessity of coordination with the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Only through the coordinated action of regional countries, the world Organization and the OIC, was it possible to impress upon the Afghan leaders the need to leave aside their differences and start a genuine intra-Afghan dialogue. Earlier this month, Afghan leaders, commanders and religious figures were invited to the Iranian city of Isfahan to promote political dialogue and peace among themselves. Last week, the eighth OIC summit in Tehran had adopted a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, which called on Afghan parties for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire. It further called for the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and non-interference in its internal affairs. It emphasized the need for continued close coordination of efforts between the OIC and the United Nations for promoting a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan by setting a credible intra-Afghan mechanism. Iran would continue to render humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
KAMALESH SHARMA (India) said developments in Afghanistan had a direct bearing on the security of countries in the region. It was unfortunate that the fighting and polarization of forces had taken place along ethnic lines, thus making it more complicated to find a peaceful political solution. There was an Afghan national personality which transcended ethnic consciousness, and
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international efforts should sustain and strengthen that personality and not sharpen ethnic cleavages. Only a genuine power-sharing arrangement, in which all Afghan people had representation, could bring a lasting peace to the region. He said the success of intra-Afghan dialogue required immediate cessation of all foreign interference and intervention in Afghanistan. India believed, however, that the international diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan should not be confined to only a limited group of countries. Advantage should be taken of the constructive role which could be played by countries with an interest in and influence on Afghanistan and could contribute to peace. Last year, his delegation had expressed concern about reports of terrorist training camps and the problem of the illicit narcotics trade. The recent attack on tourists in Luxor in Egypt by terrorists reportedly trained in Afghan camps, and the report that the bulk of narcotics reaching Europe had their origin in Afghanistan, illustrated the magnitude of the problem, and the urgency of finding a peaceful settlement to the civil war in that country. He said India was concerned at the violation and abuses of human rights in Afghanistan and particularly deplored the violence and discrimination against women and deprivation of their human rights. Humanitarian relief assistance remained critical for the survival of the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict and it was disturbing that such assistance to affected people in certain regions was being hampered for political advantage. Despite serious resource constraints, India had consistently contributed to the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, both bilaterally and through United Nations agencies. It had pledged to provide humanitarian assistance through the United Nations, in addition to bilateral assistance to the tune of 33 million rupees this year. SERGEY V. LAVROV (Russian Federation) said his delegation noted with concern that the present situation in Afghanistan had destabilized the situation in the whole Central Asian region and beyond. His Government was also concerned over the constant threat to the southern boundaries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the flow of illicit drugs and smuggled weapons, reports of grave violations of humanitarian law by the conflicting parties, including mass killings of civilians and prisoners of war, blockade of the Hazari-populated central regions of Afghanistan by the Taliban, and continuing large-scale infringements of human rights, especially of women and girls. Despite untiring United Nations efforts, he added, prospects of a peace settlement were still illusory. The Russian Federation was resolutely opposed to any foreign intervention in Afghan internal affairs. The continuation of the conflict was, to a great extent, a consequence of outside intervention. A ban or limit on arms supplies should be universal, apply to all parties to the conflict, involve the full range of military products and apply both to air access and the land border.
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Recently, he said there had been certain encouraging developments in the situation in and around Afghanistan, including direct contact between the Taliban and certain representatives of the governing coalition. Work within the framework of the group of "neighbours and friends of Afghanistan" under the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, was gaining momentum. It was important to ensure those trends broke new ground with specific practical steps to end armed conflict and begin a political dialogue geared towards national reconciliation and establishment of a broad-based government. The Russian Federation supported an international conference on Afghanistan which was well organized and based on agreements between the parties.
YUKIO TAKASU (Japan) said that although the enmity between the Afghan factions was deep, it was the interference from parties outside the country that had prolonged the fighting. All States, particularly neighbouring States, to abide by the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and terminate immediately all military and financial assistance to the warring parties.
Japan was also gravely concerned about the flagrant disregard for human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls, in the country. By denying women the right to participate in all aspects of society, the Taliban and other parties to the conflict were hampering humanitarian assistance activities and impeding the economic and social development of Afghanistan. He strongly urged all parties to respect and promote the human rights of all people in that country.
He said the international community must not abandon the Afghan people. That would be morally unjustifiable and dangerously short-sighted, for the situation in Afghanistan had implications that reached far beyond its borders. It not only destabilized the region, but hampered international efforts to combat such problems as drug trafficking and international terrorism. Genuine and lasting peace would be achieved only through a continuous process of national reconciliation and economic reconstruction efforts. All interested parties should cooperate with the United Nations in formulating a comprehensive strategy and effective framework under which those efforts might be pursued. Lastly, he reiterated that Japan remained ready to host a meeting among the Afghan parties, to be mediated by the United Nations, to explore all possible avenues towards a negotiated settlement.
A.G. RAVAN FARHADI (Afghanistan) said United Nations measures to alleviate the sufferings of his people and violations of human rights, especially of women and girls, were inadequate. The presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan was a violation of international law, the United Nations Charter and United Nations resolutions. The United Nations seemed to underestimate an aggressive policy of expansionism, which threatened international peace and security and victimized the country. The Organization had remained either silent or incapable of taking steps against crimes of
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aggression, and violations of human rights and humanitarian laws. Why had the United Nations remained silent? he asked. Was it due to that silence that the Afghan people continued to suffer?
The Taliban were aided by agents of the cross-border military intelligence services, which was proven by the presence of foreign military and para-military prisoners in Afghanistan. Afghanistan was ready to solve the conflict by negotiation, and it was unjust to blame all Afghan leaders and equate the Islamic State of Afghanistan with the Taliban self-declared "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". It was wrong to call those fighting for an independent Afghanistan "warlords", and to equate them with those serving the interests of a foreign country and inviting foreign military personnel. The United Nations had taken no concrete measures, such as sanctions or pressure, against the Taliban or their extremist cross-border supporters.
Afghanistan proposed the demilitarization of not only Kabul but all cities and towns throughout the country, he said. Locally recruited police units could ensure their security. He said the resolution recently adopted by the Assembly on the human rights situation in Afghanistan was important both legally and practically. The peace process must aim at the country's administrative unity, with one broad-based government. Proclaimed by the Taliban in October, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was an attempt to formalize the position of Mullah Umar as head of "State". The proclamation could be considered a political scheme to paralyse the peace process and ran counter to United Nations proposals concerning elections and self- determination.
He said a meeting between the Defence Minister and two leaders of the United National Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan considered the reshuffling of the cabinet conducive to broadening the base of the administration. The principle of a negotiated political settlement was reiterated. The Front was taking confidence-building measures by releasing Taliban prisoners, without reciprocity from the Taliban. Rather than try to impose an arms embargo, the countries and elements sending weapons to Afghanistan should be persuaded to halt the transfer. That would be in their interests as well as in the interests of the Afghan people and of regional economic cooperation.
JEAN-LOUIS WOLZFELD (Luxembourg), speaking for the European Union, said any discrimination based on race or religion, or between men and women, was unacceptable. The European Union attached importance to respect for the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, which Afghanistan had signed. The European Union also condemned recent restrictive measures by the Taliban in the area of female employment and the education of young girls. Further, it was deeply concerned at the reports of mass killings of prisoners of war and civilians, and incidents of rape in Afghanistan. It supported the request to the Secretary-General and other United Nations representatives to fully investigate those reports.
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He said the Union considered an immediate cease-fire in the field was necessary to start an inter-Afghan dialogue in the best conditions and under United Nations auspices. All foreign interference which provoked a prolongation of the armed conflict and hindered the search for a political situation was to be condemned. He called on all third parties to the conflict to cease such interference and respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and the rights of people there to choose freely their future. He said the international community should cease the delivery of arms, equipment and other means to the different warring factions, and called on the Afghan parties to stop using landmines.
He said the European Union, as principal donor of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, felt the safety of international personnel handling the distribution of assistance had to be secured. All donor countries and all humanitarian agencies should better coordinate their efforts to help the suffering population in an efficient and coordinated manner. Free and unconditional access must be granted to humanitarian convoys on Afghan territory. All Afghan parties should cooperate closely with the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan, whose only goal was to act as an impartial mediator to re-establish peace in the country.
NABIL ELARABY (Egypt) said the deteriorating military conditions in Afghanistan attested to the intransigence of the warring factions in that country. That intransigence transcended the real will of the Afghan people who had now suffered from the effects of war for almost 18 years. There was a striking contradiction by some countries who condemned foreign interference in Afghanistan and yet hurried to provide that country items such as arms in direct contravention of relevant Security Council resolutions. Illegal acts such as drug trafficking, the problems of refugees and displaced persons, and religious and ethnic tension all threatened peace and security in Afghanistan and the region. Other countries were the victims of spreading terrorism; Egypt had been a recent case in point.
He said the ongoing suffering of the Afghan people resulting from landmines was a matter of grave concern. Certain consequences of the conflict, particularly the problem of refugees and displaced persons, tended to work against efforts of the international community to find a peaceful settlement. Egypt agreed that there was need for a new framework to tackle Afghanistan's problems, and agreed that parties to the Afghan conflict should be urged to overcome their differences and arrive a solution. In the absence of any other real progress, his country would favour a compulsory arms embargo against Afghanistan, provided that it was comprehensive. Egypt as a co- sponsor of the draft resolution hoped that it would be adopted without a vote.
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AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan), said the Secretary-General's report on emergency assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction in Afghanistan appeared to lack direction and vision, and gave the impression it was based on short-term objectives. Its overall strategy was flawed and it showed a lack of commitment by the United Nations and its Member States to alleviate the sufferings of innocent Afghanistan people. For example, a United Nations inter-agency consolidated appeal for $133 million for the period 1 January to 31 December had received pledges of only $38 million as of August, hardly evidence of credible commitment by the international community.
At the current rate, he added, it would take another 10 years to clear the remaining high priority areas of land mines, let alone the whole country. A far more intensive effort was needed and those responsible for laying mines should share the burden of clearance and pay reparations to the families of mine victims.
He said the WFP had provided food to fewer than half-a-million Afghans during 1997 -- the same amount his Government had provided to Afghan refugees in Pakistan, in addition to millions of dollars worth of subsidized wheat to people inside Afghanistan. The WFP cited the difficulty of reaching women beneficiaries as a "totally unconvincing argument" for limiting its rehabilitation assistance from a planned 60 per cent to only 32 per cent, when everyone knew that in a traditional Afghan culture food reached women and children through men. Because of discriminatory practices by the Afghan authorities, United Nations education projects had been suspended or not implemented and the male population had therefore been kept illiterate. Pakistan did not condone gender discrimination but it did not understand the logic of aggravating the misery of the civilian population.
He said Pakistan rejected any linkage between international reconstruction assistance and the restoration of peace in all parts of the country. There had been no fighting in three quarters of the country for more than a year and the international community should begin rehabilitation and reconstruction in peaceful areas. The Secretary-General's report on the situation in Afghanistan, and its implications for international peace and security, had several inadequacies and was selective in its description of key issues. It was an apology for the inability of the United Nations and its Member States to help restore peace in the country. Despite its title, the report said virtually nothing about the implications of the Afghanistan conflict for international peace and security. References to Pakistan's efforts to promote peace downplayed the fact that it was the only country which had engaged with all sides in the Afghan conflict.
Some members of the United Nations Special Mission in Afghanistan (UNSMA) belonged to countries primarily responsible for the present state of affairs, he continued. United Nations credibility as an essential catalyst in a solution depended on absolute neutrality and even-handedness of that Mission. The report also described the availability of arms and ammunition in
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Afghanistan in a selective manner. Billions of dollars worth of weapons were left behind by the retreating forces of the former Soviet Union. The United Nations had gradually marginalized itself in Afghanistan and lost credibility as an impartial mediator, which was unfortunate given its essential role in the multilateral effort to bring peace to the country.
The international community, he went on, should show its neutrality by adopting the "vacant seat" formula in the United Nations in respect to Afghanistan until a broad-based government was established in that country. There should be an arms embargo to facilitate a cease-fire, and immediate investigation of the execution and burial in mass graves of Taliban prisoners near Mazat-e-Sharif. That should lead to the establishment of a war crimes tribunal and action against those responsible. Simultaneously the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan should begin.
ZVETOLYUB BASMAJIEV (Bulgaria), on a point of order, said that he wished to be aligned with Luxembourg's position in its introduction of the draft resolution on emergency international assistance for peace and normalcy and reconstruction in Afghanistan.
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