A/RES/55/174 Welcoming also the contacts between the Special Mission and various nonwarring Afghan parties and personalities, and supporting calls by these independent Afghans for an end to the fighting and any proposals that might advance the cause of peace, including the efforts of independent Afghan personalities, many of whom support the proposal of the former King of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah, for the convening of a loya jirgah to promote a political settlement, Expressing its appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in support of and in coordination with the United Nations, to facilitate the convening of talks between the two Afghan parties, held in Jeddah in March and May 2000, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General; 2 2. Stresses that the main responsibility for finding a political solution to the conflict lies with the Afghan parties, and urges all of them to respond to the repeated calls for peace by the United Nations; 3. Reiterates its position that the United Nations must continue to play its central and impartial role in international efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict, and reaffirms its full support for the efforts of the United Nations in facilitating the political process towards the goal of national reconciliation and a lasting political settlement with the participation of all parties to the conflict and all segments of Afghan society; 4. Urges the Taliban and the United Front to honour the written agreement communicated to the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General in separate letters dated 30 October 2000 1 to enter into a process of dialogue, without preconditions and under the good offices of the Secretary-General or his Personal Representative, aimed at achieving a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan; 5. Calls upon the Afghan parties, in particular the Taliban, to cease immediately all armed hostilities, to renounce the use of force and to pursue without delay the political dialogue under United Nations auspices aimed at achieving a lasting political settlement of the conflict, leading to the establishment of a broadbased, multi-ethnic and fully representative government which would protect the rights of all Afghans and observe the international obligations of Afghanistan; 6. Strongly urges the Taliban and other Afghan parties to refrain from all acts of violence against civilians, in particular women and children; 7. Strongly condemns the resumption of major hostilities by the Taliban starting in July 2000, and strongly calls upon all Afghan parties to end all armed hostilities and not to pursue a military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan; 8. Notes with alarm reports indicating that a significant number of nonAfghan personnel, mainly on the side of the Taliban forces and largely from religious schools, are actively involved in various military activities; 9. Strongly condemns the fact that foreign military support to the Afghan parties continued unabated through 2000, and calls upon all States to refrain strictly from any outside interference and to end immediately the supply of arms, 2 A/55/633-S/2000/1106. 3