NEW YORK, Nov 13: The United Nations on Tuesday proposed a five-point plan to establish an inclusive post-Taliban government in Afghanistan, which it said should be backed by an all-Afghan security force rather than a UN peacekeeping operation.
The proposals were presented by the UN’s envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, to the UN Security Council, which convened hours after opposition Northern Alliance forces took over Kabul.
The fast-paced military events in Afghanistan prompted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to urge the council to take “urgent action” to prevent a political and security vacuum there.
The five points of the plan are:
* The United Nations will convene a meeting between the Northern Alliance and other Afghan groups to discuss the political future of the country.
* That meeting will take “concrete steps” to form a provisional council.
* That council will discuss the transition to a new administration within two years.
* A traditional Afghan council, a “Loya Jirga”, of ethnic chiefs will be convened.
* During a transitional phase, the “Loya Jirga” will meet a second time to set up a government.
Mr Brahimi repeated UN demands for a broad-based, multi-ethnic, freely-chosen, “home-grown” government to replace the Taliban.
Mr Annan, in his opening remarks to the council, urged neighbours of Afghanistan and the world to agree to a “broad- based, fully representative government which the UN has long been trying to help the Afghan people achieve”.
“This requires the end of interference in Afghanistan’s affairs by neighbouring countries,” he said. “Unless this happens - on the level of reality rather than just rhetoric - there can be little hope of lasting stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
However, Mr Brahimi said Iran and Pakistan have a “special role” and “legitimate interests” in Afghanistan because of their geographical and historical ties.
The UN also plans to send a top official to Kabul as soon as security permits, and that it would convene a conference of various factions.—dpa/AFP
