The Security Council,

Having considered the situation in Afghanistan,

Recalling its previous resolution 1076 (1996) of 22 October 1996 and the statements of the President of the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan,

Recalling also resolution 52/211 of the General Assembly,

Expressing its grave concern at the continued Afghan conflict which has recently sharply escalated due to the Taliban forces' offensive in the northern parts of the country, causing a serious and growing threat to regional and international peace and security, as well as extensive human suffering, further destruction, refugee flows and other forcible displacement of large numbers of people,

Concerned also by the increasingly ethnic nature of the conflict, by reports of ethnic and religious-based persecution, particularly against the Shiites, and by the threat this poses to the unity of the Afghan State,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, and its respect for its cultural and historical heritage,

Deploring the fact that despite repeated pleas by the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Secretary-General to halt foreign interference in Afghanistan, including the involvement of foreign military personnel and the supply of arms and ammunition to all parties in the conflict, such interference continues unabated,

Reiterating its view that the United Nations must continue to play its central and impartial role in international efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict,

Deeply concerned at the serious humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and deploring in this regard the measures taken by the Taliban which resulted in the evacuation of the United Nations humanitarian personnel from Afghanistan and expressing hope for their early return under conditions of security,

Expressing its grave concern at the capture by the Taliban of the Consulate-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mazar-e-Sharif and at the fate of the personnel of the Consulate-General and of other Iranian nationals missing in Afghanistan,

Deeply disturbed by the deteriorating security conditions for United Nations and other international and humanitarian personnel,

Deeply concerned also at the continuing presence of terrorists in the territory of Afghanistan and at the production and trafficking of drugs,

Remaining deeply concerned at the continuing discrimination against girls and women and at other violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law in Afghanistan,

1. Reiterates that the Afghan crisis can be settled only by peaceful means, through direct negotiations between the Afghan factions under United Nations auspices, aimed at achieving a solution accommodating the rights and interests of all Afghans and stresses that territorial gains through military operations will neither lead to a durable peace in Afghanistan, nor contribute to a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in this multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country;

2. Demands that all Afghan factions stop fighting, resume negotiations without delay and preconditions, and cooperate with the aim of creating a broad-based and fully representative government, which would protect the rights of all Afghans and would observe the international obligations of Afghanistan;

3. Reiterates once again that any outside interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan should cease immediately and calls upon all States to take resolute measures to prohibit their military personnel from planning and participating in military operations in Afghanistan and immediately to end the supply of arms and ammunition to all parties to the conflict;

4. Calls upon all States neighbouring Afghanistan and other States with influence in the country to intensify their efforts under the aegis of the United Nations to bring the parties to a negotiated settlement;

5. Reaffirms its full support for the efforts of the United Nations, in particular the activities of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan and those of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Afghanistan in facilitating the political process towards the goals of national reconciliation and a lasting political settlement with the participation of all parties to the conflict and all segments of Afghan society;

6. Condemns the attacks on the United Nations personnel in the Taliban-held territories of Afghanistan, including the killing of the two Afghan staff- members of the World Food Programme and of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Jalalabad, and of the Military Adviser to the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan in Kabul, and calls upon the Taliban to investigate urgently these heinous crimes, and to keep the United Nations informed about the results of the investigation;

7. Demands that all Afghan factions and, in particular the Taliban, do everything possible to assure the safety and freedom of movement of the personnel of the United Nations and other international and humanitarian personnel;

8. Condemns also the capture of the Consulate-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mazar-e-Sharif, and demands that all parties and, in particular the Taliban, do everything possible to ensure safe and dignified passage out of Afghanistan of the personnel of the Consulate-General and other Iranian nationals missing in Afghanistan;

9. Urges all Afghan factions and, in particular the Taliban, to facilitate the work of the international humanitarian organizations and to ensure unimpeded access and adequate conditions for the delivery of aid by such organizations to all in need of it;

10. Appeals to all States, organizations and programmes of the United Nations system, specialized agencies and other international organizations to resume the provision of humanitarian assistance to all in need of it in Afghanistan as soon as the situation on the ground permits;

11. Expresses its readiness to call, on a priority basis, for all possible financial, technical and material assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan once the conditions are established by the achievement of the lasting peaceful solution of the Afghan conflict, and for the voluntary, safe and secure return of refugees and internally displaced persons;

12. Reaffirms that all parties to the conflict are bound to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and in particular the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and that persons who commit or order the commission of grave breaches of the Conventions are individually responsible in respect of such breaches;

13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue investigations into alleged mass killings of prisoners of war and civilians as well as ethnically-based forced displacement of large groups of the population and other forms of mass persecution in Afghanistan, and to submit the reports to the General Assembly and the Security Council as soon as they become available;

14. Urges the Afghan factions to put an end to the discrimination against girls and women and to other violations of human rights as well as violations of international humanitarian law and to adhere to the internationally accepted norms and standards in this sphere;

15. Demands the Afghan factions to refrain from harbouring and training terrorists and their organizations and to halt illegal drug activities;

16. Reminds all parties of the obligation to abide strictly by the decisions of the Security Council and expresses its firm intention, in accordance with its responsibility under the Charter, to consider such further steps as may be required for the implementation of this resolution;

17. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to keep it regularly informed of the situation in Afghanistan;

18. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.