This photo shows United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressing the Conference on Disarmament on Feb 26, 2018 at the UN building in Geneva. (JEAN-GUY PYTHON / AFP)

GENEVA - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Tuesday for an “immediate, unconditional ceasefire” in Afghanistan to create a conducive environment for Doha peace talks with the Taliban.

Progress toward peace will contribute to the development of the entire region, and is a vital step towards the safe, orderly and dignified return of millions of displaced Afghans

Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General 

“An inclusive process, in which women, young people and victims of conflict are meaningfully represented, offers the best hope of sustainable peace,” Guterres told an Afghanistan conference in Geneva. 

“Progress toward peace will contribute to the development of the entire region, and is a vital step towards the safe, orderly and dignified return of millions of displaced Afghans.”

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) foreign policy chief called on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan and said that any move to set up an Islamic emirate would affect the bloc’s support.

READ MORE: US, Russian, Chinese, EU officials to meet on Afghan peace

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative, told an Afghanistan fund-raising conference in Geneva: “A ceasefire should not be an outcome of the (peace) processs, it should accompany the process from today...Any attempt to restore an Islamic emirate would have an impact on our political and financial engagement.”

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