In the Name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful
Mr. President,
Allow me to begin by congratulating
you for having assumed the presidency of the Council for this month. We also extend
our gratitude to the Secretary General for his comprehensive reports on the situation
in Afghanistan, and for the untiring commitment and determination demonstrated
by him and Mr. Jean
Arnault, his former Special Representative, to consolidate peace, stability and development in that
country. I also wish to congratulate Mr. Tom Koenigs, the new Special
Representative of the Secretary General, and assure him of our continued
support and cooperation in helping the Afghan Government and people to realize
their long-awaited aspirations for peace, stability and development.
Mr. President,
We have noted with delight that over the past few months,
the political transition envisaged under the Bonn Agreement was completed by
the election and inauguration of National Assembly, and a new phase in the
history of Afghanistan
started with the Afghanistan Compact launched at the London Conference in
January this year. Indeed, the completion of the Bonn Process, as indicated in the reports of the
Secretary General, has resulted in political accomplishments and promising
improvements in the economic and social fields. This, particularly, includes
continued progresses in public administration, national education system as
well as achievements in financial and fiscal fields. The report of the
Secretary General illustrates a promising future for Afghanistan
by saying that, in a little over four years, Afghanistan has made significant
progress towards becoming a democratic State with accountable institutions, and
also towards reconstructing the basic infrastructure that can support economic
and social development of the country.
In this context, the Government of Afghanistan has taken
the lead in developing the frameworks that will guide the social and economic
development processes essential for consolidating the gains of the Bonn process. It has
developed the Millennium Development Goals report and adopted the Millennium
Development Goals to the Afghan context, while including a ninth goal on
enhancing security. Indeed the Afghanistan Compact, together with the Interim
Afghanistan National Development Strategy, provide an important opportunity to
ensure that the Government of Afghanistan and the international community work
together on a common plan towards shared objectives in the fields of security,
governance and development.
Mr.
President,
Despite these remarkable
accomplishments, much remains to be done and many issues that present challenges to the short
and longer-term security and stability of Afghanistan are yet to be
adequately addressed and urgently resolved. We concur with the Secretary General that many achievements of the past
four years remain fragile and that the capacity of the foundations of the State
should be strengthened to deliver to the Afghans the basic services they require to improve
their daily lot.
Sadly, insecurity and the pervasive
drug economy remain foremost among the challenges facing Afghanistan. We
share the concern of the Secretary General over the deterioration of the
security situation in Afghanistan
especially through the increase in the employment of more sophisticated and
lethal tactics, attacks against soft targets, suicide bombings, kidnapping and
attacks against the education system. We strongly condemn all these terrorist
acts which have targeted the security and development of Afghanistan and
the larger region.
It is also alarming that despite the
ever-increasing presence of foreign forces in the country, Anti-Government
elements appear to have expanded their theatre of operations and violence into
traditionally calmer areas of the west, north and north-east of the country.
Undoubtedly, expediting the full expansion of the central Government's
authority to the whole of the country, coupled with handing over the
responsibility for the country's security to the national army and police, is
an essential step towards mitigating the threat of insecurity in Afghanistan.
Mr. President,
The
unabated operation of the narcotics industry poses a major threat to achieving
peace and stability in Afghanistan,
and adversely affect the
political and economic reconstruction of the country. It also endangers the
security and stability of the region, especially the neighboring countries. As
noted in the UNODC's reports and the report of the Secretary General, Afghanistan
produces 87 per cent of the world's opium. This pervasive and thriving economy has provided
fertile ground for criminal networks, corruption, insecurity and terrorism in Afghanistan and beyond.
We support the sincere steps that the
Afghan Government has thus far taken to contain the threat of narcotic drugs. Nevertheless, we believe that the
measures taken in this regard require much improvement. The magnitude of the drug trade and the
immense wealth that it generates as well as the multifaceted threat that it
poses suggest that combating it will need more concerted and resolute efforts
on the part of the Government of Afghanistan and a more responsible approach by
the international community, particularly those with a wide military presence
in Afghanistan.
Moreover, while certain efforts by
the Government of Afghanistan have resulted in the reduction of opium
cultivation in some regions traditionally known for opium producing,
unfortunately opium production has increased throughout the whole country and
in the regions bordering Iran.
Notwithstanding our extensive and costly
campaign against this menace, we have witnessed an increase in the drug
trafficking over the past year emanating from Afghanistan. The Islamic Republic
of Iran, located on the smuggling route from Afghanistan to Europe-in the
north- and Persian Gulf -in the south- and beyond, has endured much more than
its share in fighting a costly and deadly war against heavily armed drug
traffickers in the course of the past twenty five years, losing more than 3400
law enforcement personnel and sustaining huge material loss. We have seriously cooperated
with the international community in fighting opium cultivation in Afghanistan and
have helped to promote and implement crop substitution projects in different
parts of that country. For my country, which stands at the forefront of the
world-wide war against drugs, international support and especially cooperation
of Afghanistan
and other neighboring countries are vital to sustain its ongoing fierce fight
in this regard.
Mr. President,
By pledging 560 million dollars to
the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the Tokyo Conference, which is the highest
pledge in terms of the per capita income of the donor countries, the Islamic
Republic of Iran has earnestly played a major role in Afghanistan's
reconstruction and development process. In fulfilling its pledge, Iran has been engaged in various
infrastructural, educational and technical activities in Afghanistan,
including in road construction, man power training, electricity projects,
building schools and vocational centers, humanitarian services and many other
projects. In general, Iran’s
contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan has so far amounted to
more than 210 million dollars. Furthermore, Iran has endured huge costs during
the past three decades by hosting almost 3 million Afghan refugees. We hope
that the new conditions in Afghanistan
would facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees to their home
country in a more timely and promising manner. Furthermore, the Islamic
Republic of Iran, in line with its long-established policy of supporting the
Afghan people and Government, attended the recent London Conference and the
conferences in Kabul and Doha at a high level to show, yet again, its
determination and dedication to continue its cooperation with the Government of
Afghanistan in the new chapter in the country's history.
Mr. President,
The
international community, with the United Nations at its forefront, should
continue its support to the Government and people of Afghanistan in a coordinated
manner, as they implement the Afghanistan Compact. We are of the view that the
leadership role of the Afghan Government and its ownership over the whole
political, security and economic fields should be given the highest priority.
Also, the continuation of the United Nations central role in Afghanistan is
indispensable if the country is to gain from the new Compact and to build upon
the accomplishments of the Bonn Process. As mentioned in the report of the
Secretary General, UNAMA has completed its tasks with respect to the Bonn
Agreement, but its role does not end here. We, therefore, support the Secretary
General's proposal to extend the mandate of UNAMA, as outlined in the report.
Before concluding, Mr. President, I
wish to reiterate that my country will continue its unwavering resolve to help
the Afghan Government and people in their endeavors for peace, stability and
development.
Thank you Mr. President