UN General Assembly
1997

﻿Let me impart at the outset the sad news I received early today of the aerial bombardment by the Taliban of the city of Mazar-i- Sharif, the sixteenth consecutive bombardment in just two days. These bombardments have taken as many as 150 lives among the civilian population of the city, mostly women and children. I express outrage and condemnation at this cowardly act of terror, which typifies the Taliban’s gross violation of international humanitarian law and their relentless belligerence against every norm recognized by the world today. I stand before the Assembly and the world community in the tradition of past Afghan representatives — with the exception of those during the years of occupation — representing an independent, sovereign and non-aligned Afghanistan. One year ago, our Foreign Minister, the late Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai, stood on this podium to explain the dark and ominous movement known as the Taliban, which — backed by foreign forces — had invaded Afghanistan. Tragically, Mr. Ghafoorzai died in the 19 service of his nation. So today it is my duty to stand before