NEWYORK - The Secretary-General welcomes President Obama’s announcement to start the drawdown of American forces in Afghanistan as of July 2011.

The United Nations views this decision as the beginning of a transition to greater responsibilities of the Afghan Government and ultimately to full Afghan leadership and ownership. It is important that the United States as well as the international community remain committed to an enduring partnership with Afghanistan for both security and development.

Turning the page on decades of war will be long and extremely challenging. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan must be based on an Afghan-led and internationally supported political settlement between all Afghans who break from terrorism, abandon violence and abide by the Afghan Constitution. Only an all-inclusive political process can restore peace and open again the opportunities to normal life and prosperity for Afghan men, women and children.

As mandated by the Security Council, the United Nations will continue to provide all necessary assistance to the Afghan people and their Afghan Government.

New York, 23 June 2011

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General regarding the speech of President Barack Obama on 22 June 2011