Guterres Convenes a Meeting on Afghanistan with Permanent Members of UN Security Council

Aug. 27 , 2021 (EIRNS)—Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported today, citing diplomatic sources, that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sent letters to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China—formally inviting them to meet on Aug. 30 to discuss the chaotic situation in Afghanistan, without the other ten representatives on the Security Council. AFP’s sources said some member countries of the P5 had been discussing the possibility of a meeting for the last few days. “Russia was supposedly reticent but all of the five are expected to join, one diplomat said.” A spokesperson for Guterres confirmed the meeting.

The full Security Council, for its part, issued a statement today condemning “in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks” against the Kabul airport yesterday. “Deliberately targeting civilians and personnel assisting in the evacuation of civilians is especially abhorrent and must be condemned,” the statement emphasized. “All parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians.”

It continued:

“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.... The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. They urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard....

“The members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, and that no Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country....”