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UN to tighten sanctions on Afghanistan`s Taliban militia
United States and Russia have mustered enough support for tightening sanctions against Afghanistan`s ruling Taliban militia, despite broad concern by UN and other aid agencies that the measures will increase the suffering of Afghans and derail UN peace efforts.
United States and Russia have mustered enough support for tightening sanctions against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia, despite broad concern by UN and other aid agencies that the measures will increase the suffering of Afghans and derail UN peace efforts.
Accusing the Taliban of sponsoring terrorism abroad and harboring terrorists at home, the two countries were expected to push through a jointly drafted Security Council resolution on Tuesday to impose an arms embargo on the Islamic army and a tougher flight ban, among other measures.
The sanctions will go into effect in 30 days and last for a year unless Taliban authorities close alleged terrorist training camps and deliver Saudi exile Osama Bin Laden for trial in the 1998 bombing of the us embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
China and Malaysia were expected to abstain from the vote concerned tougher sanctions would only worsen the precarious humanitarian situation in a country that has been at war for two decades and experiencing its worst drought in three decades. Other countries such as France and Canada have expressed similar humanitarian concerns. But none has threatened the resolution's passage.
“For 21 years Afghanistan has been burning in the fires of war,” said Faizl Mohammed Faizan, the Taliban's Deputy Commerce Minister in Kabul. “If the United Nations imposes sanctions, then the United Nations with its own hand is putting people on fire,” he added.
The sanctions will go into effect in a month, if Taliban authorities fail to close Afghan terrorist camps and deliver Bin Laden for trial in connection with the 1998 bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The council can renew the sanctions after a year if the Taliban still haven't complied.
The resolution was adopted despite widespread concern by the United Nations and other aid agencies that new sanctions would worsen the country's humanitarian crisis while derailing new UN mediated peace talks.
Taliban officials have said that they would boycott the talks if new sanctions are imposed.
The United Nations withdrew the last of its international staff from Afghanistan on Tuesday, fearing retaliation by Afghans, angry that the new sanctions will deepen their international isolation. UN programs, such as bakeries and clinics, will be run by local staff.
US and Russian officials have said the resolution provides for humanitarian exemptions that mitigate any impact on ordinary Afghans. And they have stressed that the resolution is designed to combat terrorism - not take sides in Afghanistan's civil war as alleged by the Taliban and their Pakistani supporters. Bureau Report
China and Malaysia were expected to abstain from the vote concerned tougher sanctions would only worsen the precarious humanitarian situation in a country that has been at war for two decades and experiencing its worst drought in three decades. Other countries such as France and Canada have expressed similar humanitarian concerns. But none has threatened the resolution's passage.
“For 21 years Afghanistan has been burning in the fires of war,” said Faizl Mohammed Faizan, the Taliban's Deputy Commerce Minister in Kabul. “If the United Nations imposes sanctions, then the United Nations with its own hand is putting people on fire,” he added.
The sanctions will go into effect in a month, if Taliban authorities fail to close Afghan terrorist camps and deliver Bin Laden for trial in connection with the 1998 bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The council can renew the sanctions after a year if the Taliban still haven't complied.
The resolution was adopted despite widespread concern by the United Nations and other aid agencies that new sanctions would worsen the country's humanitarian crisis while derailing new UN mediated peace talks.
Taliban officials have said that they would boycott the talks if new sanctions are imposed.
The United Nations withdrew the last of its international staff from Afghanistan on Tuesday, fearing retaliation by Afghans, angry that the new sanctions will deepen their international isolation. UN programs, such as bakeries and clinics, will be run by local staff.
US and Russian officials have said the resolution provides for humanitarian exemptions that mitigate any impact on ordinary Afghans. And they have stressed that the resolution is designed to combat terrorism - not take sides in Afghanistan's civil war as alleged by the Taliban and their Pakistani supporters. Bureau Report