SECURITY COUNCIL SEEKS EXPANSION OF ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL
EFFORT IN AFGHANISTAN, TO EXTEND BEYOND KABUL
Resolution 1510 (2003), Adopted Unanimously, Urges Measures to Fulfil
Mandate of Force; Situation Said to Remain Threat to Peace and Security
NEW YORK, 13 October (UN Headquarters) -- The Security Council this afternoon authorized expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to allow for maintenance of security outside the capital, Kabul, for international personnel engaged in reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.
Determining that the situation in Afghanistan still constituted a threat to international peace and security, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1510 (2003) and, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, authorized the Member States participating in the security assistance force to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate. That mandate (which was to expire on 20 December) was also extended for a period of 12 months.
The ISAF was initially authorized to provide security in Kabul in resolution 1386 (2001) for a period of six months starting on 20 December 2001. That authorization has been extended regularly. The same resolution also endorsed the Agreement on provisional arrangements in Afghanistan pending the re-establishment of permanent government institutions, signed in Bonn, Germany, by parties concerned on 5 December 2001, the so called “Bonn Agreement”. That Agreement provided for progressive expansion of the ISAF to other urban centres and other areas beyond Kabul.
According to a letter dated 2 October 2003 from the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, conveyed to the Council in document S/2003/970, NATO had assumed strategic command, control and coordination of the ISAF on 11 August. Annexed to the letter was NATO’s longer-term strategy for its ISAF role in Afghanistan, and a letter of 6 October, in which the NATO Secretary-General informed the Secretary-General of the United Nations that the North Atlantic Council had approved a set of preliminary decisions related to a possible expansion of NATO’s ISAF mission.
In a letter to the Secretary-General of 10 October (document S/2003/986), the representative of Afghanistan wrote that, notwithstanding the considerable progress made in providing security in Kabul and surrounding areas, thanks to ISAF, the security situation in various parts of the country remained relatively unstable and impeded further progress in reconstruction and development. His Government, therefore, requested the Council to consider expanding the mandate of ISAF in Afghanistan, in full coordination with the Afghan authorities in Kabul.
After the vote, the representative of France said his country would continue its commitment to Afghanistan through its participation in ISAF, in the counter-terrorism efforts of operation Enduring Freedom and through assistance in training a new Afghan army. He emphasized that the expansion just adopted did not envision efforts outside of its mandate in Kabul and was focused on the protection of civilian personnel, especially those on reconstruction teams. It was important that the Government of Afghanistan itself be empowered to take care of security throughout the whole of its territory.
The meeting, which began at 5:40 p.m., was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Resolution
The full text of resolution 1510 (2003) reads, as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolutions 1386 (2001) of 20 December 2001, 1413 (2002) of 23 May 2002 and 1444 (2002) of 27 November 2002,
“Reaffirming also its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,
“Reaffirming also its resolutions 1368 (2001) of 12 September 2001 and 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001 and reiterating its support for international efforts to root out terrorism in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
“Recognizing that the responsibility for providing security and law and order throughout the country resides with the Afghans themselves and welcoming the continuing cooperation of the Afghan Transitional Authority with the International Security Assistance Force,
“Reaffirming the importance of the Bonn Agreement and recalling in particular its annex 1 which, inter alia, provides for the progressive expansion of the International Security Assistance Force to other urban centres and other areas beyond Kabul,
“Stressing also the importance of extending central government authority to all parts of Afghanistan, of comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of all armed factions, and of security sector reform including reconstitution of the new Afghan National Army and Police,
“Recognizing the constraints upon the full implementation of the Bonn Agreement resulting from concerns about the security situation in parts of Afghanistan,
“Noting the letter dated 10 October 2003 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan (S/2003/986, annex) requesting the assistance of the International Security Assistance Force outside Kabul,
“Noting the letter dated 6 October 2003 from the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the Secretary-General (S/2003/970) regarding a possible expansion of the mission of the International Security Assistance Force,
“Determining that the situation in Afghanistan still constitutes a threat to international peace and security,
“Determined to ensure the full implementation of the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force, in consultation with the Afghan Transitional Authority and its successors,
“Acting for these reasons under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
“1. Authorizes expansion of the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force to allow it, as resources permit, to support the Afghan Transitional Authority and its successors in the maintenance of security in areas of Afghanistan outside of Kabul and its environs, so that the Afghan Authorities as well as the personnel of the United Nations and other international civilian personnel engaged, in particular, in reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, can operate in a secure environment, and to provide security assistance for the performance of other tasks in support of the Bonn Agreement;
“2. Calls upon the International Security Assistance Force to continue to work in close consultation with the Afghan Transitional Authority and its successors and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General as well as with the Operation Enduring Freedom Coalition in the implementation of the force mandate, and to report to the Security Council on the implementation of the measures set out in paragraph 1;
“3. Decides also to extend the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force, as defined in resolution 1386 (2001) and this resolution, for a period of twelve months;
“4. Authorizes the Member States participating in the International Security Assistance Force to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate;
“5. Requests the leadership of the International Security Assistance Force to provide quarterly reports on the implementation of its mandate to the Security Council through the Secretary-General;
“6. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”
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