98/108/CFSP: Commom Position of 26 January 1998 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union, on Afghanistan
Date: 1998-01-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Afghanistan, common position, drug traffic, human rights, peacekeeping, the EU's international role

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Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

6.2.98

COMMOM  POSITION

of  26  January  1998

defined  by  the  Council  on  the  basis  of  Article  J.2  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union,  on
Afghanistan

(98/108/CFSP)

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,

—  to  promote  the  stability  and  development  of  the

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  and  in
particular  Article  J.2  thereof,

Whereas  the  conflict  in  Afghanistan  has  caused  untold
suffering  for  the  Afghan  people,  and  threatens  the
stability  of  the  region  and  its  economic  development;

Whereas  the  war’s  exports  of  terrorism  and  illegal  drugs
cause  serious  damage  to  Member  States  of  the  Union,
and  more  widely;

Whereas the Union is determined to play an effective role
in  efforts  to  stop  the  fighting,  and  to  restore  peace,
stability  and  respect  for  human  rights  and  international
principles  in  Afghanistan;

Whereas  the  Union  attaches  the  highest  importance  to
respect  for  the  Convention  on  the  elimination  of  all
forms  of  discrimination  against  women,  and  denounces
the continuing discrimination against girls and women in
Afghanistan;

Whereas  the  Union  is  deeply  concerned  by  the  blockade
imposed  on  the  Hazarajat  region,  the  recent  bombing  of
Bamiyan airport which has disrupted aid supplies, as well
as by reports of massacres of innocent civilians and mass
execution  of  prisoners  of  war,

HAS  DEFINED  THE  FOLLOWING  COMMON  POSITION:

Article  1

The  objectives  of  the  Union  in  Afghanistan  are:

—  to bring about a sustainable peace in Afghanistan, put
intervention,  and  encourage
an  end  to  foreign 
intra-Afghan dialogue through support for the central
role  of  the  United  Nations,

region,

—  to  promote  respect  for  human  rights,  including  the
rights  of  women,  and  international  humanitarian
law,

—  to  provide  effective  humanitarian  aid  and  ensure  that
the  international  coordination  of  aid  allows  for  its
international
accordance  with 
distribution 
principles  on  gender  and  human  rights,

in 

—  to  reinforce  the  fight  against 

illegal  drugs  and

terrorism,

—  to  assist 

in  peace  building  activities  and 

the
reconstruction  of  the  country  after  years  of  civil
war.

Article  2

In order to support the United Nations peace efforts, the
Union  shall  continue  to:

—  support  the  recommendations  in  the  United  Nations
Secretary  General’s  report  of  14  November  1997  on
the  situation  in  Afghanistan  and  its  implications  for
international  peace  and  security.  In  particular,  the
Union  considers  it  imperative  that  all  countries  with
an  influence  on  the  parties  should  exercise  it  in  a
positive  and  constructive  manner  in  support  of  the
UN’s  peace  efforts,  and  that  the  supply  of  weapons,
fuel  and  other  materials  for  military  use  to  the
warring  factions  from  outside  Afghanistan  should
cease,

—  take 

into  consideration  the  report  of  the  UN
Credentials  Committee  on  the  representation  of
Afghanistan  at  the  United  Nations,

—  support 

the  embargo  on 

the  export  of  arms,
munitions  and  military  equipment  provided  for  in  its
common  position  of  17  December  1996  on
Afghanistan,  and  urge  other  countries  to  adopt  a
similar  policy  of  restraint.

The  Union  shall  also:

—  make contacts with the Afghan parties and prominent
Afghan  figures  to  point  to  the  futility  and  appalling

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humanitarian  effects  of  the  continued  fighting,  and
urge an  immediate cease-fire  and the  negotiation  of a
political  settlement  under  UN  auspices,  including  the
establishment  of  a  fully  representative,  broad-based
transitional  government,

—  follow closely efforts by influential Afghan individuals
and  organisations,  such  as  the  so-called  Frankfurt
Process,  to  contribute  to  an  intra-Afghan  dialogue,

—  conduct  de´marches 

in  the  capitals  of  all  those
countries  with  influence  in  Afghanistan,  underlining
the  importance  the  Union  attaches  to  the  early
settlement  of  the  conflict  under  UN  auspices,  and
urging  them  to  lend  the  UN  every  support.

Article  3

In  order  to  promote  respect  for  all  human  rights,
fundamental  freedoms  and  international  humanitarian
law  the  Union  shall:

—  call  on  all  parties  to  recognise,  protect  and  promote
all human rights and fundamental freedoms including
the  right  to  life,  liberty  and  security  of  persons  and
also to respect the UN Declaration on Human Rights,
which  has  been 
the
repeatedly  endorsed  by 
international  community,  including  Afghanistan,

—  urge  Afghan  factions,  to  end  discriminatory  policies
and  recognise,  protect  and  promote  the  equal  rights
and  dignity  of  men  and  women,  including  access  to
education  and  health  facilities,  employment  outside
the  home,  personal  security  and  freedom  from
intimidation  and  harassment,  and  will  point  to  the
implications  of  discriminatory  policies 
the
distribution  of  aid,

for 

—  continue  to  contribute  to  and  support  the  work  on
the Assistance Strategy on Afghanistan drafted by the
UN  Coordinator  for  Afghanistan,  which  will  provide
a  code  of  conduct  on  human  rights  for  humanitarian
assistance,

—  support  aid  programmes 

in  Afghanistan  which
integrate  gender  concerns  and  actively  attempt  to
promote  the  equitable  participation  of  both  men  and
women,  and  which  promote  peace  and  human
rights.

—  continue 

to 

provide 

humanitarian 

aid 

to

Afghanistan,

—  improve 

the 

effectiveness  of 

closer
international  coordination,  in  particular  by  working
through  the  Afghan  Donor  Support  Group  whose
next  meeting  will  take  place  in  London  in  May
1998,

aid  by 

—  ensure  close  coordination  and  complementarity
between  the  UN  peace  efforts  and  the  aid  effort,

—  ensure  that  aid  supports  the  assistance  strategy
organised  by  the  UN  Coordinator  for  Afghanistan,
and  urge  other  donors  to  do  likewise.

Article  5

In  order  to  promote  the  fight  against  drugs,  the  Union,
shall:

—  use  contacts  with  the  factions  and  those  countries
with  influence  on  them  to  underline  the  Union’s
concern  at  the  increasing  production  and  trafficking
of  drugs  in  Afghanistan  which  threatens  regional
stability and damages the health and well-being of the
populations  of  Afghanistan,  neighbouring  states  and
elsewhere,  and  also  to  stress  that  the  Union  will  take
account  of  drugs  control  objectives  when  considering
contributions  to  development  aid  to  reconstruct
Afghanistan  after  the  war,

—  urge  aid  agencies  to  take  account  of  drug  control
objectives  in  the  planning  and  implementation  of
projects  by  taking  into  consideration  their  impact  on
drug  cultivation,  production,  trafficking  and  abuse,

a 

of 

balanced 

component 

—  support  sustainable  alternative  development  as  an
important 
and
comprehensive  drug  control  strategy.  Alternative
development  programmes  should  be  adapted  to  the
specific  conditions  in  Afghanistan,  should  respect
human  rights  and  incorporate  the  gender  dimension
enabling women and men to participate equally in the
development  process.  Law  enforcement  measures  are
a  necessary  complement  to  such  programmes,

Article  4

In  order  to  help  the  suffering  civilian  population  of
Afghanistan,  the  Union  shall:

—  support  all  consistent  efforts,  including  those  of  the
United Nations Drugs Control Programme (UNDCP),
aimed  at  reducing  substantially  the  production,
trafficking  and  abuse  of  drugs  in  Afghanistan,  and
implementation  of  the
notes  the 

importance  of 

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6.2.98

Community’s  projects  in  support  of  the  Union’s
Central  Asia  Drugs  Initiative.

Article  9

Article  6

This Common Position shall take effect on the date of its
adoption.

The  Council  notes  that  the  Commission  will  direct  its
action  towards  achieving  the  objectives  and  the  priorities
of  this  common  position  by  appropriate  Community
measures.

Article  10

Article  7

This  Common  Position  shall  be  published  in  the  Official
Journal.

The Union shall call upon all Afghan authorities to close
down 
inside
for 
Afghanistan.

training  camps 

terrorists 

foreign 

Done  at  Brussels,  26  January  1998.

Article  8

This  Common  Position  shall  be  reviewed  within  12
months.

For  the  Council

The  President

R.  COOK