Acceptance of 'step-by-step' reconciliation welcomed.

The acceptance by the warring Afghan parties of a "step-by-step process of national reconciliation through the establishment of a fully representative and broad-based Authoritative Council"--which would negotiate a cease-fire, establish a national security force, and form a "transitional government to lay the groundwork for a democratically chosen government"--was welcomed by the Security Council on 30 November.

In a statement by its President, Madeleine K. Albright of the United States, the Council also noted with "grave concern" the continuation of hostilities in Afghanistan, which involved the "suffering, death and destitution of innocent civilians". An "immediate halt" to those "destructive attacks" was urged.

All States were also called upon to respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, "strictly refrain from interfering" in its internal affairs, "respect the right of the Afghan people to determine their own destiny", and reaffirmed its readiness to assist them in their "desire to achieve peace and tranquillity in their country".

The Council noted the progress made by the UN Special Mission to Afghanistan, headed by Mahmoud Mestiri of Tunisia, which had conducted broad-based consultations with Afghan representatives to end the factional fighting and begin the tasks of rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The General Assembly on 20 December, by resolution 49/140, urged all possible assistance for restoring peace and normalcy in Afghanistan, and called on all Afghans, especially the warring parties, to agree on an "immediate cease-fire" to facilitate reconstruction of their war-stricken country.

On 23 December, the Assembly noted with "deep concern" that the civilian population in Afghanistan was "still the target of indiscriminate military attacks by rival groups and of food blockades", which had caused a "dramatic rise" in the number of displaced persons inside the country.

By resolution 49/207, it also expressed concern over violations of the "right to life, to liberty and security of person and to freedom of opinion, expression and association", the "recurring violations of human rights specific to or primarily directed against women".

On 8 November, Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur Felix Ermacora had reported (A/49/650) the killings of "several thousand civilians" since January 1994 due to the "fierce military conflict". The situation of refugees in 1994 was "even worse than in 1993", with more than 1 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and some 1.8 million in Iran, he said. The UN Children's Fund stated that more than 4 million children had been killed during 14 years of war.

The "key to progress" in Afghanistan lay in the "earliest possible formation of the authoritative council", the Secretary-General stated (A/49/688) on 22 November.

Pursuant to Assembly resolution 49/140, a small UN political office to support the special mission and maintain continuity of contact between the UN and various Afghan leaders was to be set up in Jalalabad in the beginning of January 1995.