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STORY: DOHA / GUTERRES AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 04:23
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS QATAR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 19 FEBRUARY 2024, DOHA, QATAR
1. Wide shot, Secretary-General António Guterres at the podium
2. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We want an Afghanistan in peace, peace with itself and peace with its neighbours, able to assume the commitments and international obligations of a sovereign state. And, at the same time, doing so in relation to the international community, the other countries are its neighbours and in relation to the rights of its own population.”
3. Wide shot, Guterres at the podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“First, the need for Afghanistan not to be the hotbed of terrorist activities that impact on other countries. Second, the vision of Afghanistan with inclusive institutions in which its diverse groups – we have Uzbeks, Tajiks, Pashtuns, Hazaras – they all feel represented in a state that is truly inclusive. Third, a concern about the respect of human rights and in particular, the rights of women and girls.”
5. Wide shot, Guterres at the podium
6. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“A lot of things are happening on the ground, there is a very intense economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours, in trade, in infrastructure, in water, in other dimensions. And that is positive. There are different forms of bilateral engagement, for instance, cooperation with Afghanistan in relation to the suppression of drug cultivation, cooperation in relation to fighting ISIS and different other forms of relationship and cooperation with the de facto authorities.”
7. Wide shot, Guterres at the podium
8. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We also recognise that there is an essential set of questions in which we are stuck. On one hand, Afghanistan remains with a government that is not recognised internationally and, in many aspects, not integrated in the global institutions and in the global economy. And on the other hand, there is in the international community, a perception that inclusivity has not improved, that the situation of women and girls and human rights in general has in fact deteriorated in recent times. And that the problems of the fight against terrorism are not entirely solved.”
9. Med shot, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“So, we are in the kind of a situation of the chicken and the egg, which means with the Taliban thinking that the concerns of the international community are not their business and wanting recognition and integration. And the international community thinking that there is no progress in relation to its main concerns. And so, there is no progress also in the questions of recognition and integration. And one of our main objectives is to overcome this deadlock and to make sure that there is a roadmap in which both things can move and move forward in a positive way.”
11. Wide shot, Guterres at the podium
12. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“It was decided that I would initiate a serious process of consultations to see if there are conditions to create a UN envoy that might be able not only to have a coordinating role in relation to the engagements that are taking place, but that also can work effectively with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.”
13. Wide shot, Guterres at the podium
Secretary-General António Guterres today (19 Feb) said, “we want an Afghanistan in peace, peace with itself and peace with its neighbours, able to assume the commitments and international obligations of a sovereign state,” but cautioned that “there is an essential set of questions in which we are stuck.”
Speaking to reporters in Doha, Qatar following a meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan, the Secretary-General said, “first, the need for Afghanistan not to be the hotbed of terrorist activities that impact on other countries. Second, the vision of Afghanistan with inclusive institutions in which its diverse groups – we have Uzbeks, Tajiks, Pashtuns, Hazaras – they all feel represented in a state that is truly inclusive. Third, a concern about the respect of human rights and in particular, the rights of women and girls.”
He said, “a lot of things are happening on the ground, there is a very intense economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours, in trade, in infrastructure, in water, in other dimensions. And that is positive. There are different forms of bilateral engagement, for instance, cooperation with Afghanistan in relation to the suppression of drug cultivation, cooperation in relation to, fighting ISIS and different other forms of relationship and cooperation with the de facto authorities.”
Guterres acknowledged that Afghanistan “remains with a government that is not recognised internationally and, in many aspects, not integrated in the global extortions and in the global economy. And on the other hand, that is in the international community, a perception that inclusivity has not improved, that the situation of women and girls and human rights in general is in fact deteriorated in recent times. And that, the problems of, the fight against terrorism are not entirely solved.”
He said, “we are in the kind of a situation of the chicken and the egg, which means with the Taliban thinking that the concerns of the international community are not their business, and wanting recognition and integration and the international community thinking that there is no progress in relation to its main concerns. And so, there is no progress also in the questions of recognition and integration.”
The Secretary-General said, “one of our main objectives is to overcome this deadlock and to make sure that there is a roadmap in which both things can move and move forward in a positive way.”
He told reporters, that during the meeting it was decided that he would “initiate a serious process of consultations to see if there are conditions to create a UN envoy that might be able not only to have a coordinating role in relation to the engagements that are taking place, but that also can work effectively with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.”
An independent review on an integrated and coherent approach for Afghanistan conducted by Feridun Sinirlioğlu noted the importance of upholding human rights in Afghanistan, in particular for women and girls; and expressed concern but also a recognition of the progress made in combatting drug production and drug trafficking.
The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.
He thanked Qatar for its continued support to the work of the United Nations in Afghanistan, as well as to the Afghan people. He thanked Qatar for hosting, for the second time, a Meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan.
The Secretary-General also expressed deep appreciation for Qatar’s continued mediation role regarding the expansion of humanitarian aid to Gaza, an interruption of hostilities and the release of hostages.
He expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s additional support to UNRWA, at this moment in which the agency is under attack, despite the dramatic humanitarian needs of the population of Gaza, who rely on UNRWA as the backbone of their support.
