NEW YORK: The UN Security Council has thanked the Qatari government for facilitating the Afghan Peace Negotiations. The talks began on 12 September.
In press statement issued by UNSC members and made by its president to the press on Friday. they reaffirmed the Security Council’s strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan.
They recognised that sustainable peace can only be achieved through a comprehensive and inclusive peace process led and owned by Afghans to reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and a comprehensive political settlement to end the conflict.
They strongly encouraged parties to the negotiations to continue to pursue confidence-building measures, including reducing violence and to continue engaging in good faith.
UN role
They also reaffirmed the importance of the role of the UN in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan and welcomed the efforts of all regional and international partners of Afghanistan in facilitating intra-Afghan negotiations and helping the parties to reach peace, with a special nod t Qatar.
UNSC members stressed the importance of implementing the relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2513 (2020), which was adopted by the UNSC in March and welcomed the important steps towards ending the war and opening the door to negotiations between the Afghan parties.
These were enabled by the joint declaration between Afghanistan and the US to bring peace to Afghanistan. The agreement for bringing peace to Afghanistan was concluded between the US and the Taliban movement and signed in Doha on 29 February.