KABUL - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah discussed regional issues and shared Kabul’s concern about terror safe havens outside Afghanistan with representatives of the United Nations Security Council, a statement said Monday.
The statement from the CEO’s office said Abdullah met the high-ranking UNSC delegation at the Spidar Palace, the CEO office, on Sunday.
The two sides conferred on regional issues, counterterrorism, drugs, militant sanctuaries outside Afghanistan and equipping of terrorists, the statement said.
The UNSC team also exchanged views with Afghan leaders about democracy, good governance and reforms of the national unity government (NUG) and development programs, the statement said.
UNSC President of Kairat Umarov said they had come to the war-hit country to meet with various groups of the Afghan people and plan cooperation and assistance with Afghanistan by assessing the situation here.
Part of the delegation, the US ambassador to the UN Haley talked about electoral reform, drug trafficking and political situation of Afghanistan.
Dr Abdullah welcomed the UNSC team and praised its assessment of Afghanistan situation as significant as he described the situation and challenges the unity government faced in its functioning.
The CEO said the unity government missed many opportunities to bring about reforms and improve governance since coming into power three years back.
He spoke about challenges and progress in the fight against terrorism, saying that the people of Afghanistan had long been victimized for defending their homeland.
“We have been looking for continuous and sustained reforms and we believe that reforms are a fundamental condition for change,” he added.
Abdullah noted “we are committed to holding parliamentary, presidential and district elections in time.”
Second deputy CEO Mohammad Mohaqiq, acting foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani and Afghanistan Ambassador to the UN  Mohammad Sidiqq Afghan were present at the meeting.
The unannounced trip by representatives of the 15-member council ended on Monday. It was the first visit by the full council since 2010.
The talks focused on political, security, socio-economic and human rights issues in Afghanistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.
"Council members aimed to get a first-hand account of progress made by the Afghan National Unity Government, with the assistance of the international community, in addressing a wide range of interconnected challenges and to learn how the Security Council could further assist efforts on the ground," UNAMA said.
Among other things "all parties reiterated the need for greater international and regional security cooperation".
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani described the talks as "productive" in a statement from his office.
The Security Council also urged Afghanistan to ensure parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for this year and next were "timely" and "credible". (Pajhwok)