Richard Gowan, UN expert at the International Crisis Group, says French President Emmanuel Macron was guilty of overselling the idea of a safe zone at Kabul airport this weekend, or at least not communicating very clearly.
New Delhi: Does it show the helplessness of the western powers?
No safe zone and no strict and crystal clear warning to the Talibans as well.
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| Getty Image: A 'fate sealed' after 20 years ! |
The draft from the 15-member strong council, co-written by the US, UK and France, simply “expects that the Taliban will adhere" to its various commitments.
Of the 15 members at UNSC, two Permanent members China and Russia abstained.
The UN Security Council resolution has taken note of the 'dangerous security situation' around Hamid Karzai International Airport at Kabul and also expressed 'concern' that intelligence indicates further terrorist attacks may take place.
But the global body has failed to spell out consequences for the Taliban if it ignores international norms and commitment.
Of course, one way of looking at the resolution is that the Security Council passed a resolution that calls for the Taliban to facilitate safe passage for people wanting to leave Afghanistan, allow humanitarians to access the country, and uphold human rights, including for women and children.
Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla chaired the UNSC meeting under the Indian presidency in which the resolution was adopted.
"Today's resolution also highlights the importance of women's rights, minorities' rights... particularly Sikhs and Hindu minorities in Afghanistan. It has indicated a need for safe passage of people and to take necessary steps in its engagement with Afghanistan," Shringla said.
What is largely seen as a mild and watered down statement, the Resolution No. 5 states- "UNSC notes the Taliban statement of August 27, 2021, in which the Talibancommitted that Afghans will be able to travel abroad, may leave Afghanistan anytime they want to, and may exit Afghanistan via any border crossing, both air and ground, including at the reopened and secured Kabul airport, with no one preventing them from traveling".
The UN body thus expects that the Taliban will adhere to these and all other commitments, "including regarding the safe, secure, and orderly departure from Afghanistan of Afghans and all foreign nationals".
The outcome or the Resolutions are also seen as a 'setback' for France, which had made calls for a UN safe zone.
The UK felt that the proposal could not be enforced without UN or other troops.
Notably, 13 of the 15 countries voted in favour of the resolution, which demands that Afghanistan not be used as a shelter for terrorism.
It "demanded" that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts.
Two prominent players in the Af-Pak region and permanent members at UNSC, China and Russia, abstained.
Speaking after the resolution was passed the UK ambassador to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, said: “The immediate priority was to ensure all those who wish to leave Afghanistan can do so safely. We have today been clear that the Taliban must adhere to their own stated commitments to ensuring safe passage.”
The Resolution of course condemned in the strongest terms the deadly blasts at Kabul airport. The terrorist group Islamic State in Khorosan Province (ISKP) has claimed responsibility.
Needless to add that thousands of Afghans have been trying to escape from the country ahead of the withdrawal of the United States by its self-imposed August 31 deadline.
The resolution expressed concern that intelligence indicates further terrorist attacks may take place in the airport area, calls on the relevant parties to work with international partners to take steps to strengthen security and to prevent further casualties.
It "requests" that every effort be made to allow for the rapid and secure reopening of the Kabul airport and its surrounding area.
The resolution says Kabul blasts resulted in deaths and injuries of over 300 civilians and 28 military personnel and "takes note of the Taliban’s condemnation of this attack".
It "demanded" that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts, and reiterates the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those individuals and entities designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and notes the Taliban’s relevant commitments.
This could imply Pakistan-based outfits and individuals designated as terrorists.
The resolution also called for strengthened efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, calls on all parties to allow full, safe, and unhindered access for the United Nations, its specialized agencies and implementing partners, and all humanitarian actors engaged in humanitarian relief activity.
It says all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians and also reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights including those of women, children and minorities, encourages all parties to seek an inclusive, negotiated political settlement.
It calls for full, equal and meaningful participation of women, that responds to the desire of Afghans to sustain and build on Afghanistan’s gains over the last twenty years in adherence to the rule of law.
Meanwhile, Russia has been pressing the US to release Afghanistan’s assets held by the Federal Reserve, warning the Afghan economy is running out of cash at the banks.
ends
United Nations S/RES/2593 (2021)
Security Council Distr.: General
30 August 2021
Resolution 2593 (2021) Adopted by the Security Council at its 8848th meeting, on 30 August 2021
Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan and the relevant statements of
its President,
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity, and national unity of Afghanistan,
1. Condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks of August 26,
2021, near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, which were
claimed by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, an entity affiliated with the
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), and resulted in deaths and injuries of
over 300 civilians and 28 military personnel, and takes note of the Taliban’s
condemnation of this attack;
2. Demands that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any
country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts, and
reiterates the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those
individuals and entities designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and notes the
Taliban’s relevant commitments;
3. Calls for strengthened efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to
Afghanistan, calls on all parties to allow full, safe, and unhindered access for the
United Nations, its specialized agencies and implementing partners, and all
humanitarian actors engaged in humanitarian relief activity, including with respect to
internally displaced persons, to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all those
in need, calls on all donors and international humanitarian actors to provide
humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and major Afghan refugee-hosting countries,
and underlines that all parties must respect their obligations under international
humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of
civilians;
4. Reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights including those of
women, children and minorities, encourages all parties to seek an inclusive,
negotiated political settlement, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of
women, that responds to the desire of Afghans to sustain and build on Afghanistan’s
gains over the last twenty years in adherence to the rule of law, and underlines that
all parties must respect their obligations;
5. Notes the Taliban statement of August 27, 2021, in which the Taliban
committed that Afghans will be able to travel abroad, may leave Afghanistan anytime
they want to, and may exit Afghanistan via any border crossing, both air and ground,
including at the reopened and secured Kabul airport, with no one preventing them
from traveling, expects that the Taliban will adhere to these and all other
commitments, including regarding the safe, secure, and orderly departure from
Afghanistan of Afghans and all foreign nationals;
6. Takes note of the dangerous security situation around Hamid Karzai
International Airport and expresses concern that intelligence indicates further terrorist
attacks may take place in the area, calls on the relevant parties to work with
international partners to take steps to strengthen security and to prevent further
casualties, and requests that every effort be made to allow for the rapid and secure
reopening of the Kabul airport and its surrounding area;
7. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Other media reports:
"Taiwan, which is almost daily subject to threats of invasion from China, is particularly worried. South Korea, Japan, Western Europe, and Britain are all wondering if the American commitment to them could evaporate as fast as the commitment to Afghanistan has." - John Simpson, BBC
A divided U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution calling on the Taliban to allow safe passage for those seeking to leave Afghanistan but did not mention the creation of a safe zone in Kabul, as suggested by the French president on Sunday - Reuters
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| Simpson : Old BBC hand in Afghanistan |
The Guardian report
Western powers have been forced to accept the reality of the Taliban’s control of Afghanistan as they swung behind a watered down UN resolution that says it “expects” the Taliban to honour a commitment to allow Afghans to leave the country and “requests” that Kabul airport be securely reopened, but falls short of demanding a UN-sponsored safe zone in the Afghan capital.
A UN security council resolution suggests no specific reprisal if Afghanistan is sealed off after the 31 August deadline for the final US withdrawal that ends its near 20-year battle to crush the Taliban.
The draft from the 15-strong council, co-written by the US, UK and France, simply notes a “statement of 27 August, 2021, in which the Taliban committed that Afghans will be able to travel abroad,” and “expects that the Taliban will adhere to these and all other commitments”.
The text also “calls on the relevant parties to work with international partners to take steps to strengthen security and to prevent further casualties, and requests that every effort be made to allow for the rapid and secure reopening of Kabul airport and its surrounding area”.
The text in effect leaves the security of the airport to the Taliban. The political imperative to keep the security council united means no specific consequence is spelt out if the Taliban does not heed the calls in the resolution. The outcome is a setback for France, which at the weekend led calls for a UN safe zone. The UK largely regarded the proposal as unenforceable without UN or other troops.
Nevertheless, none of the major powers is in a rush to recognise the Taliban, even if Russia is pressing the US to release Afghanistan’s assets held by the Federal Reserve, warning the Afghan economy is running out of cash at the banks.
The UN World Health Organization managed to fly one relief plane containing medical supplies for 200,000 people into Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of the country, but it is warning there is a humanitarian crisis imminent due to drought, the hold up in vaccinations and spread of as many as 550,000 refugees to Afghanistan’s borders.
A Unicef official in Kabul Hervé de Lys also admitted after talks with the Taliban education commissioner that he had received no guarantees that women would be allowed to attend school beyond primary school age. He said: “All issues on table for discussion. We will continue to advocate and not give up.” Afghan’s children are not due to return to school yet partly due to Covid restrictions.
Speaking after the resolution was passed the UK ambassador to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, said: “The immediate priority was to ensure all those who wish to leave Afghanistan can do so safely. We have today been clear that the Taliban must adhere to their own stated commitments to ensuring safe passage.”
At an earlier virtual meeting of G7 leaders hosted from Qatar, foreign ministers from the G7, Turkey, Qatar and Nato discussed security inside the country, and the right of Afghans with travel permissions from overseas countries to leave the country.
There is a broad international consensus around three main demands made of the Taliban: the extension of human rights to women, the right to travel abroad and a commitment that Afghanistan will not be allowed to become a safe haven for terrorists.
There is less international agreement on how much, and what form of, pressure to place on the Taliban to meet these commitments. Rory Stewart, the former Conservative cabinet minister, said: “The most important thing for the west to do is not to make the situation worse. Afghanistan is now on the edge of a real humanitarian catastrophe.
“The Afghan government, which is now obviously the Taliban government, is running out of money. It’s going to be very difficult to keep the water supply and electricity going.
“Much of the healthcare and education in the country is delivered by foreign NGOs and agencies. At the moment there is no clarity at all from Britain, the US and others on how they are going to continue supporting these development and humanitarian projects on the ground.”
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