               United Nations                                                                     S/RES/1536 (2004)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                26 March 2004




               Resolution 1536 (2004)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 4937th meeting, on
               26 March 2004

                    The Security Council,
                    Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution
               1471 (2003) extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in
               Afghanistan (UNAMA) through 27 March 2004,
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
               integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,
                     Welcoming the Constitution adopted by the Loya Jirga on 4 January 2004
               which reflects the determination of the Afghan people to ensure the transition of
               their country towards a stable and democratic State,
                    Recognizing that the United Nations must continue to play its central and
               impartial role in the international efforts to assist the Afghan people in consolidating
               peace in Afghanistan and rebuilding their country,
                    Reaffirming the Transitional Administration as the sole legitimate government
               of Afghanistan pending the democratic presidential and parliamentary elections
               envisioned in the Bonn Agreement as in the Afghan constitution,
                     Reiterating its strong support for the full implementation of the Bonn
               Agreement (S/2001/1154) and supporting also the objectives of the international
               conference scheduled to take place in Berlin from 31 March to 1 April 2004 to allow
               the Afghan authorities and the international community to reaffirm their long-term
               commitment to take the transitional process in Afghanistan forward, including by
               demonstrating support for the Afghan political process and its national security, as
               well as by confirming and generating international financial and other donations,
                     Recalling the importance of the coming elections to establish democratic
               Afghan authorities as a further step towards implementation of the Bonn Agreement
               and welcoming in that regard the creation of a Joint Electoral Management Body and
               the initial progress made in voter registration,
                     Recalling and emphasizing the importance of the Kabul Declaration of 22
               December 2002 on Good-Neighbourly relations (S/2002/1416), and encouraging all
               States concerned to continue to follow up on the Kabul Declaration and the


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               Declaration on Trade, Transit and Inward Investment signed in Dubai in September
               2003,
                     Stressing also the importance of extending central government authority to all
               parts of Afghanistan, of comprehensive nationwide disarmament, demobilization
               and reintegration of all armed factions, and of security sector reform including
               reconstitution of the new Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police,
                    Welcoming the visit of the Security Council Mission to Afghanistan in
               October-November 2003 and takes note of its report and recommendations,
                     1.    Decides to extend UNAMA for an additional period of 12 months from
               the date of adoption of this resolution;
                    2.   Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 23 March 2004
               (S/2004/230) and the recommendations contained therein;
                     3.    Stresses the importance of the provision of sufficient security and of
               significant donor support for the holding of credible national elections in accordance
               with the Afghan constitution and the Bonn Agreement and to this end urges member
               states and international organizations to coordinate closely with UNAMA and the
               Transitional Administration;
                     4.    Encourages Afghan authorities to enable an electoral process that
               provides for voter participation that is representative of the national demographics
               including women and refugees and calls upon all eligible Afghans to fully
               participate in the registration and electoral processes;
                    5.    Encourages UNAMA and the Afghan authorities, in this regard, to
               accelerate voter registration efforts in preparation for elections and urges close
               coordination between Afghan and UN authorities;
                     6.    Welcomes the progress made since the commencement of the
               Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process in October 2003
               and the contribution of the International Observer Group in this regard; stresses that
               efforts on the part of the Afghan Authorities and all Afghan parties, supported by
               the international community, to achieve further progress on DDR are critical,
               particularly for the creation of an environment more conducive to the conduct of
               free and fair elections; and in this regard, calls upon all Afghan parties to abide by
               commitments made in the Bonn Agreement including its Annex 1;
                    7.     Welcomes the efforts to date of the Afghan authorities to implement their
               National Drug Control Strategy adopted in May 2003 and urges the Afghan
               authorities to make further efforts in that regard and Member States to support its
               implementation with the necessary resources;
                     8.   Stresses that tackling the drugs trade cannot be separated from creating a
               strong economy and a secure environment in Afghanistan and cannot be achieved
               without increased cooperation among neighbouring states and countries along
               trafficking routes to strengthen anti-narcotic controls to curb the drug flow, and
               notes with concern in this regard the assessment made by UNODC in its last Afghan
               opium survey;
                    9.    Welcomes the appointment of Jean Arnault as new Special Representative
               of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan; reaffirms its continued strong
               support for the SRSG and the concept of a fully integrated mission and endorses his


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full authority, in accordance with all relevant resolutions, over all United Nations
activities in Afghanistan;
      10. Requests UNAMA, with the support of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, to continue to assist the Afghan Independent
Human Rights Commission in the full implementation of the human rights
provisions of the new Afghan constitution, in particular those regarding the full
enjoyment by women of their human rights; requests also that UNAMA support the
establishment of a fair and transparent judicial system, and work towards the
strengthening of the rule of law;
       11. Calls upon all Afghan parties to cooperate with UNAMA in the
implementation of its mandate and to ensure the security and freedom of movement
of its staff throughout the country;
     12. Welcomes the progress made by the International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF), in expanding its presence outside of Kabul and in implementing its
mandate in accordance with resolutions 1444 (2002) and 1510 (2003), requests that
ISAF continue working in close consultation with the Secretary-General and his
Special Representative; calls upon troop contributors to provide the necessary
resources to ensure the full implementation of the mandate of ISAF;
     13. Welcomes the development of the new Afghan National Army and
Afghan National Police as important steps towards the goal of Afghan security
forces providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country, and
also welcomes the readiness of ISAF to provide security assistance for the
organization of the forthcoming elections in support of the Afghan authorities and
UNAMA in accordance with resolution 1510;
      14. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council in a timely
manner on developments in Afghanistan, including, after elections, on the future
role of UNAMA;
     15.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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