UN chief concerned at Afghan security situation

BONN (PAN over the long haul was essential for the country’s stability and preserving the gains made over the past decade, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday.

At a meeting with President Hamid Karzai in Bonn on the eve of the 2^nd Bonn Conference, Ban also expressed concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, his spokesperson said.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) would continue to work with the government in Kabul toward sustainable peace, the secretary-general said, insisting on Afghan ownership of the peace process.

While stressing that the effort should be inclusive, he asked the Karzai administration to continue on the road to full inclusion of the Afghans, especially women, in all aspects of life. Respect for human rights must be a cornerstone of government policy, he added.

Also on Sunday, Ban met German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. The two held wide-ranging discussions on the situation in Afghanistan.

Officials from 100 countries and representatives from 15 international organisations are to attend Monday’s moot on global political, economic and military assistance to Afghanistan beyond 2014.

Also in attendance will be Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, and Hervé Ladsous, the under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations.

mud