Six plus Two Group on Afghanistan
Encyclopedia
The Six plus Two Group on Afghanistan (also known as 6 plus 2 Contact Group or "6 plus 2") describes an informal coalition of the six nations bordering with Afghanistan
(China
, Iran
, Pakistan
, Tajikistan
, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan
), plus the United States
and Russia
, which functioned from 1999 to 2001 under the aegis of the United Nations
. The coalition worked first to find a solution between the Afghan Northern Alliance and later to explore a post-Taliban government for Afghanistan
.
The objective of the Group was to find a solution to the Afghan problem, to assist in the establishment of a broadly representative and multi-ethnic Afghan government.
In July 1999 Tashkent Declaration "On Fundamental Principles for a Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict in Afghanistan" was adopted. The Declaration set the basis of the UN Security Council's Presidential Statement SC/6743, which condemned Taliban for his military offensives as "undermining international efforts to facilitate the restoration of peace in Afghanistan".
On 8 February 2000 at United Nations Headquarters was held a High-level Meeting of "Six Plus Two" Group at the level of Permanent Representatives and above, which aimed at discussion of illicit production and distribution of drugs from Afghanistan. Participants exchanged views on the ways to address the drug-related issues of drug trafficking from Afghanistan through a comprehensive and balanced regional action plan.
On 18 September 2000, at the Second Meeting of the "Six plus Two" held at the foreign minister level, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
reiterated that "Six plus Two" Group remained essential forum for solution of Afghan question because it "enabled us to address the serious situation that had developed in Afghanistan and the surrounding region in the aftermath of the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif and the murder of Iranian diplomats".
In addition to other activities, the group also dealt with the issues of drug trafficking. Thus, on 13 September 2000 the Regional Action Plan was approved by representatives of the Governments of China, Iran, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, the United States of America and Uzbekistan.
John C.K. Daly, fellow researcher of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington, in his recent article "Uzbek Afghanistan proposal relevant and timely - Afghanistan: Why "6 plus 3"?", published on 5 November 2009 noted the following:
"The Tashkent meetings developed two key elements relevant today. For the first time since the 1979 Iranian revolution, Americans sat around the same table for indirect talks with Iran. Despite Iran's nuclear program and geopolitical ambitions, Iran's role in resolving Afghanistan's crisis and its potential role in establishing long-term peace there must not be ignored. Secondly, for the first time the Tashkent Declaration offered a constructive approach toward achieving reconciliation in Afghanistan through the participation of key indigenous opposing forces."
, Islam Karimov announced further development of this initiative during NATO Bucharest Summit in April 2008. Leader of Uzbekistan
proposed transformation of "6 plus 2" into "6 plus 3", which foresees involvement of 6 neighbouring countries to Afghanistan plus the United States
, Russia
and NATO.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
), plus the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, which functioned from 1999 to 2001 under the aegis of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. The coalition worked first to find a solution between the Afghan Northern Alliance and later to explore a post-Taliban government for Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Countries involved
History
This diplomatic initiative was proposed by Islam Karimov, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, keeping in mind that the conflict in Afghanistan cannot be resolved by use of force and a peaceful political dialogue is needed. The idea was first discussed during meeting of Islam Karimov with UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Afghanistan Lakhdar Brakhimi in August 1997. It was underlined that the peaceful settlement of the conflict would not be achieved without involvement of neighbouring states.The objective of the Group was to find a solution to the Afghan problem, to assist in the establishment of a broadly representative and multi-ethnic Afghan government.
Meetings under 6+2 initiative
Within the framework of 6+2 initiative a number of important meetings and conferences under the auspices of the UN was held in UN Headquarters in New York, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and other venues.In July 1999 Tashkent Declaration "On Fundamental Principles for a Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict in Afghanistan" was adopted. The Declaration set the basis of the UN Security Council's Presidential Statement SC/6743, which condemned Taliban for his military offensives as "undermining international efforts to facilitate the restoration of peace in Afghanistan".
On 8 February 2000 at United Nations Headquarters was held a High-level Meeting of "Six Plus Two" Group at the level of Permanent Representatives and above, which aimed at discussion of illicit production and distribution of drugs from Afghanistan. Participants exchanged views on the ways to address the drug-related issues of drug trafficking from Afghanistan through a comprehensive and balanced regional action plan.
On 18 September 2000, at the Second Meeting of the "Six plus Two" held at the foreign minister level, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
reiterated that "Six plus Two" Group remained essential forum for solution of Afghan question because it "enabled us to address the serious situation that had developed in Afghanistan and the surrounding region in the aftermath of the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif and the murder of Iranian diplomats".
In addition to other activities, the group also dealt with the issues of drug trafficking. Thus, on 13 September 2000 the Regional Action Plan was approved by representatives of the Governments of China, Iran, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, the United States of America and Uzbekistan.
John C.K. Daly, fellow researcher of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington, in his recent article "Uzbek Afghanistan proposal relevant and timely - Afghanistan: Why "6 plus 3"?", published on 5 November 2009 noted the following:
"The Tashkent meetings developed two key elements relevant today. For the first time since the 1979 Iranian revolution, Americans sat around the same table for indirect talks with Iran. Despite Iran's nuclear program and geopolitical ambitions, Iran's role in resolving Afghanistan's crisis and its potential role in establishing long-term peace there must not be ignored. Secondly, for the first time the Tashkent Declaration offered a constructive approach toward achieving reconciliation in Afghanistan through the participation of key indigenous opposing forces."
New realities
Taking into account the situation in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Islam Karimov announced further development of this initiative during NATO Bucharest Summit in April 2008. Leader of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
proposed transformation of "6 plus 2" into "6 plus 3", which foresees involvement of 6 neighbouring countries to Afghanistan plus the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and NATO.