Afghanistan on the World Stage
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AFGHANISTAN ON THE WORLD STAGE STATEMENTS, ADDRESSES AND ARTICLES BY H.E. DR. ZAHIR TANIN AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK DECEMBER 2006 – SEPTEMBER 2009 Afghanistan on the World Stage Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS II INTRODUCTION VIII PREFACE X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS XVIII STATEMENTS OF H.E. ZAHIR TANIN, AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS 2 STATEMENTS GIVEN AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL 4 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON PEACEBUILDING 6 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE ROLE OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN SECURITY SECTOR REFORM (SSR) 10 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 16 SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING BY CHAIRMEN OF SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL 24 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 30 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT 38 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 44 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE ROLE OF THE UN IN POST‐CONFLICT STABILIZATION 52 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT 58 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY: SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SITUATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICT 62 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 68 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 72 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY 80 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY CAUSED BY TERRORIST ACTS 86 ii Afghanistan on the World Stage SECURITY COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT MEETING ON THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN 92 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICTS 100 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 104 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT 110 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT 114 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 118 SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON WOMEN AND PEACE AND SECURITY 124 STATEMENTS DELIVERED TO THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND COMMITTEES 128 THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE ON THE REPORT OF UNODC 130 GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 134 GENERAL ASSEMBLY THEMATIC DEBATE: RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS, ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES AND GETTING BACK ON TRACK TO ACHIEVE THE MDGS BY 2015 144 INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS ON UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM‐WIDE COHERENCE: GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT 150 THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 100: INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL 154 THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 56: ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN 160 THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 39: REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES 166 UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ON THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN 172 STATEMENTS GIVEN AT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM DURING THE 63RD GA 178 LAUNCH OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM 184 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: FIRST ROUND, FIRST MEETING 190 iii Afghanistan on the World Stage INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: FIRST ROUND, SECOND MEETING 194 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: FIRST ROUND, THIRD MEETING 198 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: FIRST ROUND, FOURTH MEETING 202 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: FIRST ROUND, FIFTH MEETING 206 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: SECOND ROUND, FIRST EXCHANGE 210 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: SECOND ROUND, EXCHANGE TWO 218 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: SECOND ROUND, EXCHANGE THREE 222 INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: THIRD ROUND 226 STATEMENTS GIVEN AT OTHER MEETINGS AND EVENTS 234 COMMEMORATIVE HIGH‐LEVEL PLENARY MEETING DEVOTED TO THE FOLLOW‐UP TO THE OUTCOME OF THE SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN 236 OPENING OF THE ART EXHIBITION ON AFGHANISTAN AT THE UNITED NATIONS 242 UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING: ADOPTION OF THE UNICEF COUNTRY PROGRAMME FOR AFGHANISTAN 246 CELEBRATION OF THE 1150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF ABU ABDULLAH RUDAKI 250 ECOSOC ANNUAL MINISTERIAL REVIEW: KAZAKHSTAN’S NATIONAL VOLUNTARY PRESENTATION: NATIONAL REPORT ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN’S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES TO 2030 IN THE LIGHT OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) 254 THE ANNUAL COORDINATION MEETING OF MINISTERS FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MEMBER STATES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE 258 iv Afghanistan on the World Stage SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION (SAARC) 264 HIGH‐LEVEL PLENARY ON THE ALMATY PROGRAMME OF ACTION 268 PLENARY MEETING OF THE 10TH EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION ON THE ILLEGAL ISRAELI ACTIONS IN OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM AND THE REST OF THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY 274 PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE COMMISSION FOR THE STATUS OF WOMEN 2009: “EIGHT YEARS ON: WHAT HOPE FOR AFGHAN WOMEN?” 278 KEYSTONE ADDRESS AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NEW STRATEGY – WHAT’S NEW, WILL IT WORK? 284 MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE COORDINATING BUREAU OF THE NON‐ ALIGNED MOVEMENT, HAVANA, CUBA 292 UNDP/UNFPA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING: UNDP DRAFT COUNTRY PROGRAMME FOR AFGHANISTAN 2010‐2013 300 UNFPA DRAFT COUNTRY PROGRAMME FOR AFGHANISTAN, 2010‐2013 306 UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING ON THE UNICEF DRAFT COUNTRY PROGRAMME FOR AFGHANISTAN 310 26TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON GLOBAL SECURITY IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY: PANEL DISCUSSION ON POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC PERSPECTIVES IN DEALING WITH CRISES IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN 314 CONFERENCE ON THE WORLD FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT 322 GERMAN‐AFGHAN PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: “AFGHANISTAN: THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE” BY HELMUT R. SCHULZE 326 UNDP/UNFPA EXECUTIVE BOARD RESUMED SESSION 330 STATEMENTS BY OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK 332 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OPENING OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE 334 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SIXTH COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 99: MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 338 v Afghanistan on the World Stage GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIRD COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 60: PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN 342 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECOND COMMITTEE DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 53: THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY 346 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECOND COMMITTEE DEBATE ON COUNTRIES IN SPECIAL SITUATIONS 350 GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY DEBATE ON AGENDA ITEM 114I: COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ECONOMIC COOPERATION ORGANIZATION 354 GENERAL ASSEMBLY FIFTH COMMITTEE: UNAMA BUDGET 358 ARTICLES AND OPEDS BY H.E. ZAHIR TANIN 362 “DON’T FORGET TO REFORM THE UN” ‐ OP‐ED PUBLISHED IN THE GUARDIAN ONLINE 363 ALL EYES ON THE AFGHAN ELECTIONS – OPINION PIECE PUBLISHED BY UNAMA 367 vi Afghanistan on the World Stage vii Afghanistan on the World Stage Introduction Ambassador Tanin presents his credentials to United Nations SecretaryGeneral H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan, December 19, 2006 H.E. Ambassador Zahir Tanin, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United Nations, presented his credentials to UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan in New York on December 19, 2006. Since then, Ambassador Tanin has been active in many forums both within the United Nations and in the wider international community. His previous experience as a journalist for the BBC and as an academic has allowed him to develop a unique analytical style that offers a fresh perspective on diplomatic issues. The United Nations has played a critical and central role in the stabilization and rebuilding of Afghanistan since the Taliban viii Afghanistan on the World Stage were ousted in 2001. As Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Tanin has represented Afghanistan in the Security Council, in the General Assembly, and in other Committees and Meetings. Further, he has accepted a number of leadership positions in a personal capacity. He has been one of the Vice-Chairs of the Bureau on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People since his tenure began, and was appointed Vice-President of the 63rd General Assembly. Most recently, Ambassador Tanin was appointed to Chair the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform on behalf of the President of the 63rd General Assembly. As Chair, he led the successful launch of the negotiations in February 2009, and since then has overseen two successful rounds of negotiations and the beginning of a third. In his first two and a half years as Permanent Representative, Ambassador Tanin has delivered sixty-four official statements, which are contained here. In addition to these official remarks, Ambassador Tanin has spoken to students and visiting officials, participated in panel discussions, and has been interviewed and published in a multitude of media sources. Ambassador Tanin’s tenure as Ambassador is occurring during a tumultuous time for Afghanistan: the security situation has become more tenuous, the economic and political situations remain difficult, and the international community has been forced to examine and re-examine its approach and commitment to the country. In a personal and an official capacity, his role within the United Nations has been to forge compromise, encourage open and transparent discussion, and to reinforce the centrality that the needs and concerns of the Afghan people should have