Take action against state institutions facilitating violence: Afghanistan to UNSC

United Nations: In a veiled but scathing attack against Pakistan for providing safe havens to terror groups, Afghanistan called on the UN Security Council to take measures against "state institutions" that facilitate extremism to advance their foreign policy agenda.

"The cycle of violence and insecurity in Afghanistan, and our part of the world is inextricably linked to the presence of sanctuaries and safe-havens in the region, from which extremist groups are sustained and enjoy an incessant flow of political, financial, material and logistical support for the continuation of their malicious activities," Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal said.

Addressing a Security Council debate on Conflict Prevention and Sustaining Peace yesterday, Saikal, without naming Pakistan, said elements in "some state institutions" facilitate violence to advance their foreign policy agenda.

"The UN must also afford greater attention to some of the external drivers of these phenomenon. In this light, the UN, and this Council in particular, can devise a viable approach to identify situations where elements in some 'State institutions' facilitate violence and extremist activities by non-state proxies as a means to advance their foreign policy agenda," he said.

The Afghan envoy stressed that the UN is "well positioned" to help address trust deficit associated with "negative state rivalries" which often leads to conflict, and where some actors go at all lengths, including the use of violent proxy forces in pursuit of political, security and economic objectives. This phenomenon is predominant in our region."

Saikal also told the Council that Afghanistan has expressed "strong reservations" in regards to open declarations by ?some in our region of their contacts with armed opposition groups active in Afghanistan, conducted without the consent of the Afghan Government.

"Let me reassert, any kind of talks on the situation in my country has neither any value nor legitimacy without the participation and approval of our Government which is the most democratically elected administration in the history of our nation," he said.