Annan: Afghan riots reveal 'deeper problems'
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-05-31 13:58
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed concern over recent unrest in
Afghanistan, saying it underlined "deeper problems" that needed to be addressed
by the international community.
UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan expressed concern over recent unrest in Afghanistan, saying it
underlined "deeper problems" that needed to be addressed by the
international community.[AFP\File] |
Annan said he spoke by telephone with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "about measures we can all take to help
bring the situation under control."
The UN chief's comments came after a traffic accident on Monday involving a
US military truck set off deadly riots across the Afghan capital Kabul.
"I have followed with concern the developments in Afghanistan," Annan told
reporters at UN headquarters after returning from a two week tour of Asia.
"Obviously what has happened is symptomatic of perhaps deeper problems and
the need we have to work with them to strengthen their security forces," he
said, adding that the Kabul unrest followed "major disturbances" in other
regions of the country.
"We have an insecure situation in parts of the country, we have the question
of drug cultivation and production, we have the need to strengthen security
forces and national institutions," he said.
Solving the country's problems with opium cultivation and weak central
institutions would "take time and resources but we need to persevere," Annan
said.
Police in Afghanistan said 12 people were killed and more than a 100 were
injured in riots that erupted after a US truck ploughed into several cars. A mob
gathered at the accident scene and started pelting the US soldiers, who then
opened fire.
The US-led coalition said the soldiers shot above the crowd while witnesses
said they saw at least four people die in the gunfire.
Buildings, police posts and cars were torched as well as offices of
international aid groups. Kabul was calm on Tuesday after a six-hour overnight
curfew though heavily-armed police remained on alert.
|
