SECRETARY-GENERAL AUTHORIZES, ON EXCEPTIONAL BASIS, VISIT OF HIS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR AFGHANISTAN TO KANDAHAR
Press Release
SG/SM/6740
AFG/89
SECRETARY-GENERAL AUTHORIZES, ON EXCEPTIONAL BASIS, VISIT OF HIS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR AFGHANISTAN TO KANDAHAR
19981012 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:In view of the dangerous level of tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Taliban, the Secretary-General has authorized his Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, to pay a one-day visit to Kandahar on 14 October. The Secretary-General's decision follows two days of talks in Islamabad, on 10 and 11 October, between Mr. Brahimi and a delegation of senior Taliban representatives.
The Secretary-General wishes to emphasize the exceptional nature of Mr. Brahimi's visit. It should be recalled that, in view of serious security concerns, all international United Nations staff were withdrawn from Afghanistan on 22 August, one day after the fatal shooting in Kabul of Lieutenant Colonel Carmine Calo, a military adviser serving with the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan (UNSMA).
The Taliban leadership have given Mr. Brahimi assurances that they will address seriously unresolved United Nations concerns, in particular Taliban's sharing of information of their investigation into the killing of Lieutenant Colonel Calo, as well as other security concerns about the possible return of international United Nations staff to Afghanistan.
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