By IRNA
Berlin : The United Nations special envoy to Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, warned of giving in to Taliban amid the latest kidnapping wave of foreigners by the radical militia in the war-stricken country.
"We must not cave in because of the terrorist threat. This would be the most improper thing to do to all those Afghans and aides who want to continue their work there. One has to stand up to the challenge and stay energetically on the target," Koenigs said in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine on Sunday.
"Otherwise you won't be able to take control of the situation.
The Afghans have asked us to support them. Unfortunately they are suffering the most from Taliban's terror," the UN official added.
Koenigs pointed out that the international community has underestimated Taliban's capability to rejuvenate itself, saying it was partly linked to the fact that the radical militia has found safe haven in neighboring Pakistan.
He also stressed that Afghanistan needed "more western troops" to combat the Taliban.
Koenigs met earlier this week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin where he called for additional international support for the Afghan reconstruction process.
"Afghanistan is a long-term commitment and the Afghans expect us to live up to our obligations," said the UN diplomat, branding the present status quo in Afghanistan as "extremely difficult." Koenigs added that the international community was determined to press ahead with the development of rule of law in Afghanistan by "robust" means if necessary, including the use of military force.
Both Merkel and Koenigs labeled Pakistan a security risk for western efforts to establish peace and stability in Afghanistan.
A recent rise in violence by Islamist militants is seriously endangering the survival of President Pervez Musharraf's government.