GUIDANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN PRST

UNCLAS STATE 073230

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNSC
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN PRST


1. The Department authorizes USUN to join consensus in
adopting a Presidential Statement on Afghanistan, scheduled
to be considered by the UN Security Council on July 15,
included in para 2.


2. Begin statement:

- The Security Council welcomes the Afghan-led
preparation for the upcoming presidential and provincial
council elections and stresses the importance that the
elections be free, fair, transparent, credible, secure and
inclusive. The Security Council also calls upon the people
of Afghanistan to exercise their vote in this historic
opportunity for all Afghans to make their voices heard. The
Security Council calls on all parties concerned to adhere to
the fundamental principles laid out in the electoral law and
all other relevant regulations, the Presidential Decree on
non-interference in election affairs, and the Guidelines
issued by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
to ensure a credible electoral process. It reaffirms the
primary responsibility of the Afghan Government and the
Independent Electoral Commission to set the necessary
conditions for elections, with the active support of the
international community. The Security Council welcomes the
intention of international partners, including the European
Union and the OSCE, to send observation missions at the
request of the Afghan Government. The Security Council
stresses the importance of a secure environment for
conducting elections, condemns those who resort to violence
to obstruct the electoral process, and, while recognizing the
ongoing efforts of the Afghan Government, encourages its
additional efforts with the assistance of the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to ensure security during
the electoral period.

- The Security Council welcomes the strengthened
commitment that the international community has shown
recently in various fora, including those in Moscow, The
Hague, Ankara, Strasbourg/Kehl, Washington, Islamabad,
Tehran, Yekaterinburg and Trieste, to help the Afghan
Government build a stable and prosperous Afghanistan
well-integrated in its region.

- The Security Council emphasizes the central role of
UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
in leading and coordinating the international civilian
efforts in Afghanistan and notes the expectation expressed in
the Hague Conference for expansion of UNAMA's presence. In
this regard, the Security Council expresses its support for
the Secretary-General,s intention to further strengthen
UNAMA this year and invites the Secretary-General to provide
further details of his proposals.

- The Security Council welcomes the progress achieved by
the Afghan Government on implementing the Afghan Compact and
the Afghanistan National Development Strategy during the
period covered by the latest report of the Secretary-General,
encourages the Afghan Government to undertake enhanced
efforts in addressing issues in the areas of security,
governance, the rule of law and human rights, including
gender equality, and economic and social development as well
as the cross-cutting issue of counter-narcotics, and calls
upon the international community to continue to support the
Afghan Government,s efforts, including provision of
humanitarian assistance, in this regard. The Security Council
recalls the priorities identified at the Paris Conference and
reaffirmed at the Hague Conference, and emphasizes the
importance to provide sufficient support needed for progress
in these priority areas.

- The Security Council takes note of the status of the
work of developing benchmarks for measuring and tracking
progress in the implementation of UNAMA,s mandate and
priorities and expresses its hope that the work will be
completed through consultation with all actors concerned and
that finalized benchmarks will be included in the next report
of the Secretary-General.

End statement.
CLINTON