Afghanistan tops Russia's Security Council presidency agenda
Russia on Friday assumed the rotational presidency of the UN Security Council at a time of heightened concern over developments in Afghanistan, Syria and in the Middle East.
In its leadership role on the Security Council, Russia will
initiate discussion and debate on the situation in Afghanistan,
where US-led international forces have fought a committed adversary
since shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001.
“The main issue of Russia’s chairmanship will be the situation
in Afghanistan,” the ministry report emphasized. “This
country is entering a very responsible stage of its development,
which requires new efforts from the people of Afghanistan and
consolidated support from the entire international community, with
the UN playing an unconditional central coordinating role.”
Russia has good reason to be concerned about the situation in
Afghanistan: Since the beginning of hostilities, which pitted
Coalition forces against a motley crew of Taliban and Al-Qaeda
militants, the region has experienced not only an influx of
terrorists but also a massive spike in drug trafficking across
Europe and Russia.
According to the Federal Drug Service, 106 tons of illegal drugs –
mostly in the form of heroin cultivated from Afghan opium poppy –
were seized in Russia last year, a 70 percent jump from 2011.
In light of the obvious failures of attempting to fundamentally
change Afghanistan through military power alone, the US is planning
to bring home an estimated 34,000 American troops of the 66,000 now
serving in Afghanistan. In August, President Putin warned that Washington may be pulling out
of the country before their mission is completed.
"It is regrettable that many participants in this operation are
thinking about how to pull out of there," the Russian leader
said. "They took up this burden and should carry it to the
end."
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet on March 19 to address
the situation and “adopt a resolution extending the mandate of
the UN mission to assist Afghanistan," the report said. The
meeting will be chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov.
Meanwhile, Syria’s two-year political crisis, in which forces loyal
to President Bashar Assad are engaged in a war against a determined
rebel opposition, will continue to be a subject of debate for the
Security Council.
Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United
Nations, will chair the UN Security Council meeting on Friday.
Churkin summarized Russia’s position on the Syrian
crisis: “[The] violence must stop… dialogue must be established
without precondition.”
The Russian ambassador to the UN emphasized that both sides of the
conflict should commit themselves to the “Geneva document of
June 2012, which, we believe, should serve as the consensus basis
for dialogue,” and said that “we can’t resolve that crisis
for [the Syrian people].”
During its month-long presidency of the Security Council, Russia
will also focus attention on the Middle East crisis in an effort to
assist the Quartet on the Middle East – composed of the United
Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia – to
achieve a “comprehensive regional settlement," the ministry
report said.
The UN Charter states that the Security Council presidency rotates
on a monthly basis according to the alphabetical order of the
member-states' official UN names. The Security Council presidency
involves “setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings, and
overseeing any crisis” that may arise.
