Washington, 18 October 1996 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. State Department said yesterday it is pushing for a resolution in the United Nations Security Council calling for an end to the fighting in Afghanistan.
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns says an effort is under way at the U.N. to draft what he said would be a "balanced and unbiased resolution." Burns said that in addition to calling for a cease-fire, the United States wants the resolution to condemn human rights abuses and specifically cited what he called the "gross violation" of women's rights by the Islamic Taliban militia.
In areas under its control, the Taliban has prohibited many women from working and has ended education for girls.
Burns told reporters in Washington that the United States would also support a call for an arms embargo on all factions in Afghanistan.