NSA meet: 8 nations issue joint statement on Afghan; seek collective security, cooperation

In a key development, the National Security Advisors (NSAs) meet chaired by NSA Ajit Doval and those of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, after deliberation on Afghanistan on November 10, issued the Delhi Declaration on Afghanistan. The NSAs especially discussed the security situation and its regional and global ramifications, the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

The member states discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan, since August 15 when the Ashraf Ghani-led democratic government collapsed paving way for the hardline Taliban to take over. The sides paid special attention to the current political situation in Afghanistan and threats arising from terrorism, radicalisation and drug trafficking as well as the need for humanitarian assistance.

Delhi declaration on Afghanistan can be perused as follows:

• Reiterated strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan while emphasizing the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and non-interference in its internal affairs.
• Expressed deep concern over the suffering of the people of Afghanistan arising from the security situation in Afghanistan and condemned the terrorist attacks in Kunduz, Kandahar and Kabul. 
• Emphasised that Afghanistan’s territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts.
• Condemned in the strongest terms all terrorist activities and reaffirmed their firm commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including its financing, the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and countering radicalization, to ensure that Afghanistan would never become a safe haven for global terrorism.
• Called for collective cooperation against the menace of radicalization, extremism, separatism and drug trafficking in the region.
• Stressed the necessity of forming an open and truly inclusive government that represents the will of all the people of Afghanistan and has representation from all sections of their society, including major ethnopolitical forces in the country. Inclusion of all sections of the society in the administrative and political structure is imperative for the successful national reconciliation process in the country.
• Recalling the relevant UN Resolutions on Afghanistan, the participants noted that the United Nations has a central role to play in Afghanistan and that its continued presence in the country must be preserved.
• Emphasized the importance of ensuring that the fundamental rights of women, children and minority communities are not violated.
• Expressed concern over the deteriorating socio-economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and underlined the need to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
• Reiterated that humanitarian assistance should be provided in an unimpeded, direct and assured manner to Afghanistan and that the assistance is distributed within the country in a non-discriminatory manner across all sections of the Afghan society.
• Reiterated commitment to provide assistance to Afghanistan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Reiterated the importance of their dialogue and agreed to remain engaged with each other in the future.