Restoration of Afghanistan should be carried out by Afghans under UN coordination - Russian Security Council secretary

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Restoration of Afghanistan should be carried out by Afghans themselves with UN coordination, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said on Tuesday after a meeting with security council heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member-countries in Moscow. The participants of the meeting support the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan, peaceful restoration and revival of the Central Asian country, Patrushev said. "[These measures] should be taken under the leadership of Afghans and by Afghans themselves under UN coordination. It is also very important to restore the economy of Afghanistan," he added. The main aims of deploying international forces in Afghanistan in 2001 have not been reached, as drug production in the country has grown by more than 40 times, Patrushev said. "Unfortunately, Washington’s disastrous policy not only failed, but also exacerbated the already existing problems [in Afghanistan]. The main tasks of deploying international military contingent in Afghanistan, in particular destroying al-Qaeda and the Taliban, were not fulfilled. More than that, radicals feel very confident in several provinces of the country," Patrushev noted. The Security Council secretary also noted that during US operation Enduring Freedom, "the production of opiates on the territory of Afghanistan has grown by more than 40 times." Read more