KABUL: Representatives of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including US ambassador Nikki Haley, held talks with Afghanistan’s top leaders during a three-day visit to the war-torn country that ended on Monday.

The 15-member council talks focused on political, security, socio-economic and human rights issues in Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement after the delegation flew back to New York. It was the first visit by the full council since 2010.

“The visit was an opportunity to reiterate the Security Council’s support” for the efforts by the Afghan government and the people “to restore peace, stability and progress to the country” and to get a first-hand account of that process, the UNAMA said.

Among other things “all parties reiterated the need for greater international and regional security cooperation”.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani described the talks as “productive” in a statement from his office.

He met the UN team on Sunday and discussed Afghanistan’s security situation and how to move the country forward, the statement said, adding that Mr Ghani requested continued UN pressure on neighbouring Pakistan, which Kabul accuses of harbouring Taliban insurgents and Islamabad denies the allegations.

Along with Ms Haley, representatives of China, Russia and Britain also took part in the meeting, which was not previously announced for security reasons.

Mr Ghani in his statement said they also discussed “reconciliation, regional cooperation on the fight against terrorism, counter narcotics” and preparations for the upcoming parliamentary presidential elections in the country.

The meeting, it added, “stressed the need to view Afghanistan not as a threat to security in the region but as an important partner”.

There have been a series of recent high-profile visits to Afghanistan, including by US Vice President Mike Pence last month, as Afghan police and troops struggle to beat back the resurgent Taliban and IS militants expand their foothold.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2018