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Appeal for Int'l Coop. on Afghanistan

Appeal for Int'l Coop. on Afghanistan
Appeal for Int'l Coop. on Afghanistan

The situation in Afghanistan should not be approached as a point of competition, but rather an area of regional and international collaboration, the envoy to the United Nations said.

"Afghanistan should become the objective for regional and international cooperation, rather than competition, in order to establish and strengthen peace, security and development in the region," Gholamali Khoshroo said in his address to a meeting of the UN Security Council on "the situation in Afghanistan" on Thursday.

Pointing to the increasing spread of terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan, he called for greater assistance to Kabul's national unity government in confronting such threats.

"With the increasing emergence of Daesh (the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and its affiliate in Afghanistan, along with the vast spectrum of terrorist and extremist groups, as the report of [UN] Secretary General [Ban Ki-moon] suggests, the international and regional powers have a greater responsibility to and can reap enormous benefits from assisting the national unity government, especially in its fight against terrorism."

Khoshroo invoked Ban's latest report on Afghanistan, which indicates an alarming growth in "both intensity and geographic scope" of "the sustained conflict", warning that any cooperation with terrorists operating in Afghanistan would only embolden them and undermine peace efforts.

"The deterioration of security, especially in north and west Afghanistan is a matter of concern," the envoy said, adding, "We condemn all these violent attacks committed by Taliban and all other terrorist groups as well as any cooperation with them, since we believe this will encourage them in their odious behavior and thus counterproductive to establishing peace in Afghanistan."

  Interrelated Security

Noting that the security of Afghanistan is directly linked to that of Iran and the region, he reiterated Tehran's continued backing for Kabul's national unity government to help promote security and stability.

"Iran continues its full support for the promotion of security, stability and comprehensive and sustainable development in Afghanistan since we consider the security in Afghanistan to be the security of our borders and the region."

"Iran continues to fully support the national unity government and is confident that this government is well positioned and has necessary capacities to address political, economic and security challenges," the ambassador said, according to a transcript of his statement posted on the website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Khoshroo said Iran attaches great importance to its economic ties with Afghanistan and is keen on increasing cooperation to help resolve issues of mutual concern.

"On bilateral cooperation, we see the expansion of our political and economic ties with neighboring Afghanistan as a priority. Iran stands ready to increase bilateral cooperation, particularly on security matters, counter-narcotics efforts, developing projects and economic cooperation in the fields of infrastructure and agriculture as well as a durable solution for Afghan refugees."

 

Financialtribune.com