A/RES/54/189A-B Page 2 Convinced that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict and that only a political settlement aimed at the establishment of a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative government acceptable to the Afghan people can lead to peace and reconciliation, Stressing the importance of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, and deeply concerned at all forms of continued external support, which is causing the prolongation and intensification of the conflict, Expressing its grave concern at the failure of all Afghan parties, in particular the Taliban, to put an end to the conflict, which seriously threatens stability and peace in the region, and welcoming the willingness of the United Front to talk to the Taliban in order to find a solution to the country’s problems, Deeply concerned by the increasingly ethnic nature of the conflict, by reports of persecution on the grounds of ethnic origin and religious persuasion and by the threat this poses to the unity of the Afghan State, Strongly condemning the sharp escalation of the conflict, in particular after the launching of a new offensive by the Taliban in July 1999, only one week after the meeting of the “six plus two” group in Tashkent, despite the repeated demands by the Security Council and continuing attempts by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan to avert the Taliban offensive, Noting with concern the resulting exacerbation of the enormous suffering of the Afghan people, including the massive loss of human life, summary executions, deliberate abuse and arbitrary detention of civilians, refugee flows, use of child soldiers, harassment, forcible displacement of innocent civilians and extensive destruction, Expressing its grave concern at persistent violations of human rights and at breaches of international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, as exemplified by reports of mass killings and atrocities committed by combatants against civilians and prisoners of war, including the finding in the report of the United Nations investigation team for Afghanistan, submitted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,1 that serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law took place in Afghanistan in 1997 and 1998, Noting with alarm the massive displacement by the Taliban of the civilian population and, in particular, of women and children, in the Shomali Plains, as well as the indiscriminate destruction of their homes and agricultural land, thereby eliminating their source of income, Expressing its grave concern at the continuing and substantiated reports of systematic human rights violations against women and girls, including all forms of discrimination against them, notably in areas under the control of the Taliban, Strongly condemning the capture by Taliban militia of the Consulate-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the murder of Iranian diplomats and a journalist in Mazar-e Sharif, and stressing that these unacceptable acts, which constitute flagrant violations of established international law, must not go unpunished,  $ DQQH[ VHFW ;