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STORY: UN / AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 03:00
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / NATS
DATELINE: 30 AUGUST 2021, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
30 AUGUST 2021, NEW YORK CITY
2. Various shots, Security Council vote
3. SOUNDUP (English) Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary, India:
“The result of the voting is as follows; 13 votes in favour, zero votes against, two abstentions. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2593 of 2021.
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“The Security Council expects the Taliban to live up to its commitment to facilitate safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan, whether it’s today, tomorrow, or after August 31.”
5. Wide shot, Security Council
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Last week’s horrific attack in Kabul demonstrated the very real threat that terrorist groups like ISIS-K pose. President Biden has made clear that we will do what’s necessary to defend our security and our people. And the entire international community is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan is never again a safe haven for terrorism.”
7. Med shot, Vardhan Shringla
8. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
"During the negotiations we underscored the unacceptability of the negative impact of evacuating qualified Afghans, especially for the Afghan economy. Under the conditions of this brain drain, the country will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. These elements that are important for the Afghan people were not reflected in the text of the resolution."
9. Wide shot, Council
10. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, China:
“The recent chaos in Afghanistan is directly related to the hasty and disorderly withdrawal of foreign troops. We hope that relevant countries will realize the fact that withdrawal is not the end of responsibility, but the beginning of reflection and correction. Relevant countries should learn the lessons, truly respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and genuinely respect the right of the Afghan people to determine their future.”
11. Wide shot, Council
12. Zoom in, UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward walks up to podium
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United Kingdom:
“This resolution shows there is a minimum standard that the international community expects the Taliban to abide by. And the Taliban will be judged by their actions on the ground, not the words coming out of the Presidential Palace. And the Security Council, of course, has tools at its disposal to hold them to account for those actions.”
14. Zoom out, Woodward walks away
The Security Council today (30 Aug) adopted a resolution calling for unhindered access for humanitarian actors in Afghanistan and that Afghans be allowed to travel abroad via any border crossing, including at Kabul airport.
The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favour, zero votes against, and two abstentions.
After the vote, United States Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Council “expects the Taliban to live up to its commitment to facilitate safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave Afghanistan, whether it’s today, tomorrow, or after August 31.”
The resolution condemns the 26 August attack near Kabul airport and demands that Afghan territory not be used to attack any country or shelter terrorists.
Thomas-Greenfield said “last week’s horrific attack in Kabul demonstrated the very real threat that terrorist groups like ISIS-K pose. President Biden has made clear that we will do what’s necessary to defend our security and our people. And the entire international community is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan is never again a safe haven for terrorism.”
Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia of the Russian Federation explained Russia’s abstention. He said, “during the negotiations we underscored the unacceptability of the negative impact of evacuating qualified Afghans, especially for the Afghan economy. Under the conditions of this brain drain, the country will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. These elements that are important for the Afghan people were not reflected in the text of the resolution."
For his part, Chinese Ambassador Geng Shuang said, “the recent chaos in Afghanistan is directly related to the hasty and disorderly withdrawal of foreign troops. We hope that relevant countries will realize the fact that withdrawal is not the end of responsibility, but the beginning of reflection and correction. Relevant countries should learn the lessons, truly respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and genuinely respect the right of the Afghan people to determine their future.”
China also abstained.
Outside the Council, United Kingdom Ambassador Barbara Woodward said, “this resolution shows there is a minimum standard that the international community expects the Taliban to abide by. And the Taliban will be judged by their actions on the ground, not the words coming out of the Presidential Palace. And the Security Council, of course, has tools at its disposal to hold them to account for those actions.”
