NEW DELHI: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is currently headed by India, will meet on Friday to assess the security situation in Afghanistan amidst rise in violence by the Taliban.
India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti said the meeting will include a briefing and consultations on the developments in the war-torn country. “UN #SecurityCouncil will meet on Friday, 6th August, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in #Afghanistan,” Tirumurti said in his tweet.
The announcement comes a day after Afghan envoy to India Farid Mamundzay, in an interview to this newspaper, said that Afghan foreign minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar during a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had urged India to convene a meeting on Afghanistan. According to sources, the meeting was convened after consultations with the five permanent and nine non-permanent members of the UNSC.
Mamundzay thanked India for calling the meeting. “Convening an emergency UNSC session on Afghanistan is a positive development. UN & international community must play a greater role to stop the tragedy in Afghanistan due to violence & atrocities by terrorists. Thank you India for the lead role as UNSC President,” he tweeted.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India is monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and that India continues to call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. “As regards the UNSC, the issue of Afghanistan will be deliberated. You would have seen the Press Statement of August 3 on the escalating violence in Afghanistan, which echoes much of what we have been saying. During tomorrow’s debate, we will share our vision and perspectives on Afghanistan and look forward to productive deliberations.”
Jaishankar in Iran, talk on Taliban likely
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday reached Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi. Jaishankar, who will be in Iran for two days, will meet top Iranian leadership including his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif. The situation in Afghanistan and resurgence of the Taliban is likely to be discussed.