The White House is seeking UN Security Council support for the historical peace deal it signed with the Taliban last weekend. As AP reported, the ambitious agreement aimed at ending the longest armed conflict in the history of the US. It would call also for additional reductions in violence and international support for Afghanistan prior to a cease-fire agreement.
To bring its troops home from Afghanistan, the US has prepared a draft resolution, for which Washington needs the UNSC’s backing. The document to be presented at the next meeting of Security Council would also encourage “the sustained support” of the UN and international fora for efforts toward peace.
The text includes as well the convening of “intra-Afghan negotiations in order to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire.”
The draft of the American resolution would also affirm “that any political settlement must protect the rights of all Afghans, including women, youth and minorities.”
In fact, this was an addition from the original draft sought by council members who want to ensure that women’s rights are protected, and the Taliban doesn’t return to its previous draconian measures, including barring women from education and work.
Afghanistan: peace negotiations to begin March 10
According to the US-Taliban deal, peace negotiations between the warring Afghan sides are supposed to begin March 10. However, the Afghan government has already rejected releasing Taliban prisoners ahead of launching the talks, a precondition that the militants say was part of the US agreement.
The US-elaborated draft resolution welcomes the intention of the Afghan government and the Taliban to pursue additional confidence-building measures to create conditions conducive for talks.
In order to support a peace process, the preliminary version of the resolution would acknowledge the Afghan people’s demand for lasting peace and recognize that sustainable peace is quite achievable if the sides respect each other’s opinions.
