Russia's concerns ignored in UNSC resolution on Afghanistan — Russian UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, August 31. /TASS/. Russia abstained during the voting on the United Nations Security Council resolution on Afghanistan because its principle concerns were ignored in it, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Monday. "We had to abstain during the voting on the UN Security Council draft resolution on Afghanistan," he told the Security Council meeting. "We did it because the draft’s authors ignored our principle concerns." According to the Russian diplomat, Russia suggested that the United Nations Security Council resolution on Afghanistan include a provision on negative effects of the mass evacuation of specialists and the freezing of financial assets on the situation in that country, but these initiatives were ignored. "During the talks, we stressed the inadmissibility of negative impacts of the evacuation of highly-qualified Afghan personnel on Afghanistan’s socio-economic development. The country will not be able to attain the goals of sustainable development in conditions of brain drain. These elements, which are important for the Afghan people, were not reflected in the text," he said. He also noted that Russia’s proposals to point to negative impacts of the freezing of the country’s financial asset and to condemn the activities of Islamic State and East Turkestan Islamic Movement (both outlawed in Russia) were also ignored. The resolution however condemns the Islamic State Khorasan group (ISIS-K, an Islamic State branch). Nebenzia expressed bewilderment that the resolution was passed that swiftly. "At the same time, we see attempts to shift responsibility for the failure of the United States’ and its allies’ 20-year presence in Afghanistan onto the Taliban movement and countries of the region, which will have to face consequences of this long campaign," he added. He stressed that Russia will continue to support Afghanistan. "On its part, Russia wants to see peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan, with no terrorist and drug threats coming from its territory. We will continue to help Afghans attain this goal," he said. Read more