Foreign and Military Affairs

China sees security in Afghanistan as prime concern

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-01 11:48

UNITED NATIONS - China said here Wednesday that improving security in Afghanistan is of prime concern against a backdrop of "a marked increase in security incidents" in the country since the beginning of this year.

The statement came as Wang Min, deputy Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, was taking the floor during an open debate on the current situation of Afghanistan at the UN Security Council.

"As a neighbor to Afghanistan, China has been keeping a close eye on developments there," Wang said. "Improving security in Afghanistan is of prime concern, and although much had been done to strengthen the local security forces, there is a marked increase in security incidents since the beginning of this year."

Such insecurity has a negative impact on the assistance work being done by the international community, he said, voicing his hope that relevant parties of the international community would continue to support Afghanistan in its efforts to secure the country.

Security in war-torn Afghanistan has not improved in recent months and violence threatens any strides toward stability, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his report to the Security Council in early June.

"Indiscriminate anti-government element attacks against civilian targets, government representatives and international military forces continued," Ban said in his report. "The alarming trend of increased improvised explosive device incidents and the occurrence of complex suicide attacks persisted. Military operations also intensified."

Regarding economic and social reconstruction, Wang noted that weak infrastructure, lack of human resources and insecurity had stood in the way of progress.

As such, the international community should pay greater attention to supporting Afghanistan's socioeconomic and national development strategy, and should encourage the Afghan government to make full use of the international assistance being provided to it, he said.

In helping the Afghan government and people exercise ownership for their country's peaceful reconstruction, the international community should respect the nation's sovereignty, said the Chinese diplomat.

"The international community should listen carefully to the views of the Afghan people" during the International Conference on Afghanistan, scheduled for July 20 in Kabul, in order to reach a consensus on how to further assist Afghanistan, Wang added.

Afghanistan is hosting the international conference where an Afghan-led plan to improve development, governance and security is to be presented, the secretary-general said in his report. That's a follow-up to a January conference in London, where Afghanistan and its allies met to discuss the country's political and economic development.