SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES SIGNING OF KABUL DECLARATION BY AFGHANISTAN

AND SIX NEIGHBOURS, HOPES IT WILL BOOST PEACE PROCESS

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the signing of the Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations between Afghanistan and its six neighbours on 22 December.� He sincerely hopes that the Declaration will not only strengthen the peace process in Afghanistan but also promote political and economic progress in the entire region.� He calls on the signatories of the Kabul Declaration to do their utmost to respect the principles of territorial integrity and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and to work together to solve the problems of terrorism, political extremism and drug trafficking.

The Secretary-General extends his congratulations to President Karzai and his Government on this important day, as well as to the people of Afghanistan.� He expresses the hope that the Kabul Declaration will complement the Bonn Agreement to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for Afghanistan and its neighbours.� At the same time, the Secretary-General believes that much progress remains to be achieved in Afghanistan, particularly in improving the security situation, as has been demonstrated by a number of recent incidents throughout the country.

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