PRESS STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

PRESS STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is today's press statement on Afghanistan by the President of the Security Council, Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria):

After listening to a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Lakhdar Brahimi, on recent developments in Afghanistan, Council members met in informal consultations.

Council members discussed the overall situation in Afghanistan and exchanged views on the ways to continue to support the Afghan authorities to contain instability, improve the humanitarian situation and recover from

24 years of conflict and destruction.

Council members commended the Afghan Transitional Authority, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the emerging Afghan armed and police forces, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and the coalition forces for their complementary efforts to promote improvements in security in Kabul and throughout the country.

Council members strongly condemned all attacks against United Nations personnel and offices, which are directed against the interests of the Afghan people themselves.

Members of the Council reiterated their full support to the Transitional Authority of Afghanistan to speed up, assisted by the international community, the process of rebuilding Afghanistan, and carry forward the political process in accordance with the Bonn Agreement.  In that context, members of the Council reiterated their strong appeal to the international community to fulfil their financial and material pledges for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Members of the Council reaffirmed their full support for the coordinating role of the United Nations in Afghanistan and the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, in the accomplishment of his mandate.

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