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Taliban confronted with fresh UN santions |
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Assuming the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (NSC) for December, Russia with US backing has launched an aggressive campaign to seek support for selective sanctions against Taliban, while keeping its options of arms supply to Northern Alliance open. France and China, two permanent members of the UNSC, have reportedly expressed reservations about the proposed sanctions. According to sources, so far, no formal draft has been circulated or tabled before the Security council. However, the sources by that a paper has been circulated with points inscribed informally. The US is fully supporting of the Russian proposal and is likely to be a co-sponsor of the draft resolution. A formal draft is expected to be introduced shortly.
Pakistan is expected to campaign among the non-permanent members of the Council to oppose imposition of stringent economic measures against Afghanistan. Based on their common perception of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, Russia and the US formed a joint working group to combat terrorism some time back. Though there is no consensus among the five permanent members on the imposition of further sanctions, China may be the only country which may abstain in case of voting in the SEcurity Council.
China voted in favour of the sanctions on Afghanistan in the Security Council in October 1999, it was the first time China favoured imposition of sanctions. UN special envoy on Afghanistan Frances Vendrel, who is currently engaged in bringing the two warring Afghan factions to the negotiating table, believes that any positive change in the internal situation of Afghanistan may convince the Security Council not to impose sanctions on Afghanistan.
The Taliban militia has blasted the US and Russia for their move to sponsor further sanctions on Afghanistan and said it will not succumb to any foreign pressure. It said Taliban will not succumb to any foreign pressure and go ahead with its policies based on Islamic principles. Taliban deputy information minister Abdur Rahman Hotak said efforts by the US and Russia to toughen UN sanctions against the Islamic movement were a futile move and that Kabul would resist any pressure. Last year, the Security council slapped aviation and financial sanctions on the Taliban for its refusal to hand over Bin Laden for trial. The proposed measure would also tighten the existing flight embargo and a freeze on the Taliban’s assets abroad.
The objective of the new sanctions is twofold. One is to mount additional pressure on the taliban leadership, by freezing its foreign accounts, closing its offices abroad, and prohibiting all international flights (except humanitarian ones), and prohibiting all international flights (except humanitarian ones), and restrictions on travel by the senior government officials. The other is to focus squarely on Pakistan’s military support to the Taliban. The proposed arms embargo is deliberately limited t other Taliban and would allow external military assistance to its o opponents in the northern alliance.
Skeptics argue sanctions are rarely effective in the real world, and that it is impossible to prevent Pakistan from violating the new sanctions with impunity. The supporters of the arms embargo against the Taliban suggest that the resolution will be a signal to Pakistan that it is now on notice, and more action, possibly including military, could follow in the future.
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