New York: UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has expressed concern over the security situation in
Afghanistan, telling President Hamid Karzai that the peace
process in the war-torn country should be inclusive and ensure
respect for human rights.
Ban met Karzai in Bonn, Germany ahead of tomorrow's
international conference on Afghanistan, according to a
statement from his spokesperson.
The Secretary-General "expressed concern about the
security situation in Afghanistan and noted that the United
Nations, through its mission will continue to work with the
Afghan government towards sustainable peace," the statement
said.
Ban insisted that the Afghan ownership of the peace
process should be inclusive and called on Afghanistan to
"continue on the road to full inclusion of all, especially
women, in all aspects of life, and that respect for human
rights must be a cornerstone of government policy."
Extending his gratitude to Karzai for convening members of
the international community to the Afghanistan conference, Ban
stressed the unity of the international community in
supporting the country for the long term.
He also commended the Karzai government for its effort
towards national reconciliation.
The Bonn conference is being held a decade after another
meeting was held in the German city that had created
Afghanistan's first post-Taliban government. Senior officials
from nearly 100 nations, including US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton would be attending the crucial meet.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, December 04, 2011, 23:59