The UN Security Council on Monday called for the establishment through inclusive negotiations of a new, united, inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan with full women participation as it reaffirmed the need to ensure that the Taliban or any other Afghan group should not support terrorists operating on the territory of any other country.

The 15-nation Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban took control, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, and chaos, uncertainty and tragedy unfolded on the streets and at the airport as thousands tried to flee the ravaged nation.

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The Council meeting on Afghanistan was the second in just over 10 days, held under India’s current Presidency of the powerful UN body.
After the meeting, Council members, in a statement, called for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and “the establishment, through inclusive negotiations, of a new government that is united, inclusive and representative – including with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women.”

The Security Council members “reaffirmed the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, and that neither the Taliban nor any other Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any other country.”

Addressing the UNSC meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the international community must be united and utilize all available instruments to ensure that “we must speak with one voice to uphold human rights in Afghanistan.”

The Security Council statement underlined that institutional continuity and adherence to Afghanistan’s international obligations, as well as the safety and security of all Afghan and international citizens, must be ensured.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN and President of the Council for the month Ambassador T S Tirumurti, speaking in his personal capacity, said that as a neighbor of Afghanistan and a friend to its people, the current situation prevailing in the country is of “great concern to us in India.”

“There are many unanswered questions. We also hope that there is an inclusive dispensation that represents all sections of Afghan society. Voices of Afghan women, aspirations of Afghan children and the rights of minorities must be respected. A broader representation would help the arrangement gain more acceptability and legitimacy,” Tirumurti said.

The Council also expressed deep concern about the number of reported serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses in communities affected by the ongoing armed conflict across the country and stressed the urgent and imperative need to bring the perpetrators to justice.

(With PTI inputs)