Annan calls for resolving Afghan conflict

By Masood Haider

Dawn
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 30: Warning that the Afghan conflict could spin out of control and adversely impact peace and security in the region, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called upon the international community to pay full attention to the root cause of the civil war and foreign interference in the country.

In his latest report to the Security Council on the Afghan situation released on Monday, Annan paints a grim picture of the conflict which "is increasingly having a negative impact beyond the borders of that country."

He criticized Afghanistan's neighbours for getting involved militarily in the conflict, which has "every indication" of spreading.

"Such interference from outside the country remains one of the biggest impediments to peace as it provides essential means for the continued fighting in the forms of arms, ammunition and other war-making material," he said.

He cited the religious schools in Pakistan as the source for new Taliban fighters - some as young as 14.

On the political front, the report cites "the lack of progress" in efforts to achieve a peaceful solution. At the same time, the people of Afghanistan have continued to suffer a "massive" loss of their human rights throughout the year, Annan says.

The devastating impact of war on all aspects of Afghan society is compounded by a combination of poverty, profound under-development, absence of accountable governance mechanism and a pattern of systematic violation of humanitarian law.

The secretary-general also warned that Afghanistan had become the world's largest illicit opium producer in 1999 - a situation, which, he said, was unlikely to change unless peace was established.

He pointed to increasing evidence that the Taliban were becoming a "breeding ground for religious extremism and sectarian violence as well as various types of international terrorism" as reason for serious concern.

The Security Council this month imposed sanctions on the Taliban for having failed to hand over Osama bin Laden for his trial in the bombing of two US embassies in Africa.

Annan told the Security Council that after a careful review of recent developments, he and his special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, had reached the conclusion that Brahimi's activities should be "frozen" until circumstances changed to justify his renewed diplomatic efforts.

At the same time the primary role in conducting UN peacemaking activities in the country would be assumed by the UN Special Mission to Afghanistan (UNSMA), Annan said.

Based in Islamabad, the UNSMA will progressively move office to Kabul where the closer proximity will afford it more frequent contacts with both the belligerents and non-belligerents.

The secretary-general also intends to open a sub-office in Tehran in early 2000 to increase regular contacts with neighbouring states as well as Afghan factions and individuals.

In his analysis, Annan notes that the Afghan factions and relevant regional powers have yet to demonstrate sufficient political will to find a common approach to the Afghan question.

Referring to the work of the "Six plus Two" group, Annan observed that its members could do a great deal more to end military support for the Afghan factions. The limited impact of the group, which is composed of Afghanistan's six neighbouring countries, Russia and the US, "has led some to express doubts about the usefulness of its very existence," he underscored. Annan, however, said that he will continue to work with its members and seek ways of improving its creativity and effectiveness.

Omar warns UN chief

PESHAWAR, Nov 30: Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar on Tuesday threatened to forcibly take UN officials to the frontlines of its war with rival Afghan groups "to see the truth" unless UN chief Kofi Annan withdrew charges that children under 14 were fighting for Taliban.

Omar, speaking by telephone from his headquarters in Kandahar, said he was giving Annan until Wednesday to withdraw the child soldier recruitment accusation he made on Monday in a report.

"There are no children under 14 in our ranks," Omar said.

He said he was inviting UN officials to visit Taliban frontlines to see for themselves. Asked what the Taliban would do if the UN officials refused to go, Omar said:

"Unless he (Annan) withdraws this charge by tomorrow evening, we will compel them to accompany us, and take them to the frontlines so they could see what is the truth and what is falsehood."-Reuters