国际英语新闻：UN Security Council hails new plans for Afghanistan

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday welcomed the results of the London conference on Afghanistan, which pledged new funds and outlined a strategy to transfer security responsibility to Kabul within five years.

"The members of the Council voiced support for the priorities agreed to at the London Conference on Security, Governance and Economic Development ... and encouraged their full implementation, " said a Council press statement, which was read to reporters by French Ambassador to the UN Gerard Araud, who holds the rotating Council presidency for the month of February.

On Jan. 28, Britain hosted a one-day international summit, where Afghan President Hamid Karzai unveiled a new plan to lure rank-and-file Taliban soldiers away from militancy with economic incentives.

The reintegration plan, carefully crafted as part of a withdrawal plan, has been received by the Taliban with skepticism. In a statement posted on the Islamists' website on Thursday, the Taliban vowed to "collude" with no one.

The Security Council also noted the regional summit held on Jan. 26 in Istanbul, where Karzai met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Turkish President Abdullah Gul to discuss Karzai's plan to reach out to moderate members of the Taliban.

At the meeting, "a common vision of regional cooperation was set out and the neighbors have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan," said Araud who refused to answer reporters' questions.

The 15-nation Council also underlined the leading role of the UN mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA, to co-ordinate international civilian efforts, a strategy that is to beefed up along side military operations.

The members "expressed their gratitude" for Kai Eide, the secretary-general's outgoing special representative, and his " outstanding contribution to UNAMA's work," he said, adding that they expressed that they looked forward to working with the new special representative, Staffan Di Mistura.