Foreign Ministers Of Shanghai Five Alarmed By Afghan Conflict

Meeting in Moscow on Saturday, the foreign ministers of the Shanghai Five expressed their alarm at the escalation of the Afghan conflict. The general belief that the conflict in Afghanistan is a serious threat to regional security and international stability made its way into a joint communique issued by the foreign ministers of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This document sums up the results of their meeting. According to the communique, the five foreign ministers are convinced that "there is no way to settle the conflict by military means." The only way to achieve peace is to hold talks, under the aegis of the United Nations, for the formation of an Afghan government on a broad political and ethnic basis. The ministers have once again called on the world community to fulfil Security Council's resolutions Nos. 1267 and 1333, which introduce sanctions against the Taleban.