Letter From the Executive Board

Greetings,
We welcome you all to this simulation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue at RYLMUN’23. We
expect you to go thoroughly through this Background Guide which highlights the important topics
relevant to our agenda. The agenda of the committee is open for exploration but requires focused
research on certain key aspects. The substance of this background guide is intended only to help you
in developing basic background and context with the subject area of substantive discussion in this
simulation.
We hope that you put in wholehearted efforts to research and comprehensively grasp all important
facets of the agenda. We expect a constructive debate from you all in order to achieve the aim of the
committee. We wish you the very best for your committee simulation and look forward a great level
of debate.
Feel free to contact in case of any queries.

Nature of Reports and Evidences in the Council

Evidence or proofs from the following sources will be accepted as credible in the committee:
1. News Sources
State operated News Agencies – These reports can be used in the support of or against the State that
owns the News Agency. These reports, if credible or substantial enough, can be used in support of or
against any country as such but in that situation, they can be denied by any other country in the
council. Some examples are,
—RIA Novosti (Russia) http://en.rian.ru/
—IRNA (Iran) http://www.irna.ir/ENIndex.htm
—Xinhua News Agency and CCTV (P.R. China) http://cctvnews.cntv.cn/

2. Government Reports: These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated News
Agencies reports and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country.
However, a nuance is that a report that is being denied by a certain country can still be accepted by
the Executive Board as credible information. Some examples are,
a. Government Websites like the State Department of the United States of America
(http://www.state.gov/index.html) or the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (http://
www.eng.mil.ru/en/index.htm)
b. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of various India(http://www.mea.gov.in/) or People’s
China(http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/ ).
c. Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Reports http://www.un.org/en/members
d. Multilateral Organizations like the NATO (http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/index.htm),
ASEAN (http://www.aseansec.org/ ), OPEC
nations like Republic of China
(http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/ ), etc.

3. UN Reports: All UN Reports are considered as credible information or evidence for the Executive
Board.
a. UN Bodies like the UNSC (http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/) or UNGA (http://www.un.org/en/ga/).
b. UN Affiliated bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency(http://www.iaea.org/ ),
World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/ ), International Monetary Fund
(http://www.imf.org/external/indexhtm ), International Committee of the Red
Cross (http://www.icrc.org/eng/index.jsp ), etc.
c. Treaty Based Bodies like the Antarctic Treaty System
(http://www.ats.aq/e/ats.htm ), the International Criminal Court (http://www.icc-
cpi.int/Menus/ICC )
Please note that under no circumstances will sources like Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/ );
Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/ );
Or newspapers like
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/);
Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/); etc. be accepted in the
Council. Duly note each document’s source before its presentation in council. Please carry the
required reports in soft copy (saved directly from the source and unedited).
Also, the background guide cannot be used as proof in the committee.

INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMITTEE

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, is a strategic security
dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States that is maintained by talks between
member countries. The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with
the support of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an
unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely
viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power. In the committee you shall
be expected to resolve the crisis on hand for the quadrilateral security dialogue with regards to the
current geopolitical situation.

CRISIS IN MYANMAR

History of the Problem

Discriminatory policies of Myanmar's government since the late 1970s have forced hundreds of
thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee their homes in the predominantly Buddhist country
of Myanmar. Most of these retugees have gone to Bangladesh by land, while others have taken to
the sea to reach Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand to avoid discrimination. The Rohingyas are an
ethnic minority group who practice a version of Sunni Islam. The Rohingya have suffered from human
rights violations under past military dictatorships since 1978.
Before the issue escalated, there were already over 307,500 Rohingva refugees living in camps and
makeshift settlements according to the UNHCR.
The Rohingya militant's attacks started on 25th August after years of facing discrimination and
injustice they attacked approximately 30 police and army posts. However, this caused a ruthless
military counter-attack which caused nearly half a million Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh
The Rohingva people are an ethnic minority that live mainly in the northern region of Rakhine State,
Myanmar, and have been described as one of the world's most persecuted minorities.
They describe themselves as descendants of Arab traders who settled in the region many generations
ago.
With the Japanese invasion and withdrawal of the British administration, tensions in Arakan grew
before the war erupted. The war caused inter-communal conflicts between the Arakanese Muslims
and Buddhists. Muslims fled from Japanese-controlled and Buddhist-majority regions to Muslim-
dominated northern Arakan with many being killed. In return, a"reverse ethnic cleansing" was
carried out. The Muslim attacks caused the Buddhists to flee to southern Arakan. Attacks by Muslim
villagers on Buddhists also caused retaliation. With the consolidation of their position throughout
northern Arakan, the Rohingyas retaliated
against Japanese collaborators, particularity Buddhists. Rohingya leaders believed that the British
had promised them a "Muslim National Area" in the Maungdaw region. They were also apprehensive
and against the formation of a future Buddhist-dominated government. In 1946, the leaders made
calls for the annexation of the territory by Pakistan. Some also called for an independent state
The group has been denied citizenship by the government of Myanmar, which sees them as illegal
immigrants from Bangladesh. Since then, Rohingya people have regularly been made the target of
persecution by the government and nationalist Buddhists.

Current Situation

Who are the Rohingyas?

Currently, the government in Myanmar doesn't grant the Rohingya citizenship, and as a result of this
a vast maiority of the group's members have no legal documentation and are therefore considered
stateless. A majority of the one million Rohingyas are thought to stay in the Rakhine state which is
located in the south west of Mvanmar. where they account for nearly a third of the population of the
area. Myanmar currently denies the Rohingya group recognition as one of the countries 135 ethnic
groups as they claim the Rohingyas are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Why are they fleeing Myanmar?

Since August 2017 many atrocities have been committed against the Rohingyas to drive them out of
Myanmar. Myanmar's military arrested and arbitrarily detained male Rohingyas who were between
15 to 40 years, Rohingya opinion makers, leaders, and cultural and religious
personalities. Moreover, acts to deprive Rohingya villagers ot access to necessary things such as food,
water, and other necessities were carried out. Additionally, repeated acts of violence such as killings,
disappearances, torture, and rape and other forms of sexual abuse occurred which have instilled
deep fear and physical, emotional and psychological trauma in the Rohingyas. Till now at least 288
villages in the Rakhine province have been burned down and destroyed
On 9 October 2016, hundreds of unidentified insurgents attacked three Burmese border posts along
Myanmar's border with Bangladesh. According to government officials in the mainly Rohingya border
town of Maungdaw, the attackers brandished knives, machetes and homemade slingshots that fired
metal bolts. Several dozen firearms and boxes of ammunition were looted by the attackers from the
border posts. The attack resulted in the deaths of nine border officers.

Relevant UN Actions:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council called on Myanmar's

government to end its military campaign against the Rohingva Muslims. The 15-member Security
Council met behind closed doors on the 12th September 2017, at the request of Sweden and Britain,
to discuss the crisis for the second time since it began and agreed to condemn the situation publicly.
Speaking before the meeting, Antonio Guterres called the situation for the Rohingya refugees
"catastrophic" and "completely unacceptable,"
acknowledging that the minority group was being ethnically cleansed in the Buddhist-majority
nation. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the
rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who have had to leave the country," the UN
chief said at the press conference in New York.
Guterres also called on the authorities to allow the UN and NGOs into Rakhine State to provide
humanitarian aid. The UN describes the Rohingya as the world's most persecuted people. The
Rohingya have suffered years of discrimination and have been denied citizenship in Myanmar since
1982. Guterres has been urging the Myanmar government to grant the Rohingya nationality or legal
status that would allow them to live a healthy life.
The United Nations migration agency and its partners are supporting Bangladesh in coordinating
assistance for the influx of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, with clean water and
sanitation, shelter, food and psychosocial care for the most vulnerable.
The Bangladesh Government has confirmed that it will move an estimated 15,000 people currently
stranded in a so-called "no man's land" near the Anjuman Para border crossing point in Cox's Bazar's
Ukhia District, into more appropriate settlement areas.
Since late August, IOM (International Organisation for migration) has scaled up quickly, providing:
shelter to 379,000 people; health consultations to 47,000 individuals; over 11,000
dignity kits; 678,000 liters of water; and 200 staff to assist the Health Ministry in vaccinating 679,000
people against cholera. IOM staffing has also been boosted with 443 staff and in-country volunteers.

CHINA-TAIWAN CONFLICT
Background

Tensions between the Mainland China and the Island of Taiwan have been high ever since the
Chinese Civil War that began in 1927, where Republican forces fought the Communists for control
over the country. By 1935 and later the Japanese War efforts had begun and in wake of the this, the
Communist party began to gain the support of the peasantry and prepare them for the continued
civil war after the Japanese were defeated. By 1949, republican forces under the leadership of the
Kuomintang President Chiang Kai Shek, were defeated, and forced out of the mainland. They were
left with no other option but to reside on the island of Taiwan. Since the retreat to the Island, there
have been 3 crises that have nearly led to war.
The first crisis began in 1954, when the Mainland Communist Forces began bombardment of the
Island as a measure to liberate Taiwan. However, with the news that USA was considering the use of
Nuclear Weapons on the Mainland, the PRC had to halt its measures. Shortly after 4 years,
Communist forces once again began invading islands through the use of amphibious landings and
bombardment. This also came to an end after a mutual stalemate. In 1994, I response to the U.S
government inviting President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan to speak at Cornell, the Chinese Communist
party operated missile tests and naval exercises in an attempt to intimidate both Taiwan and the
United States. In response, the United States sent 2 carrier battle groups, ultimately forcing China to
step down. Since then, the United States and Taiwan have held strong military ties, alongside Japan
The United States has been selling its military technology and weapons to Taiwan for decades now,
which angers the Communist Party. Despite the United States officially recognizing the Communist
Party in 1979, both Taiwan and the US have kept close ties since then.

The US has backed the defence of Taiwan since its creation, hindering China's ability to invade and
ultimately take over the island. While the United States has acted as a deterrent against a Chinese
invasion, China has become increasingly aggressive over the years.

While the past crisis between China and Taiwan was nearly 20 years ago, tensions are still incredibly
high between the 2 nations. Under Xi Jingping, the Communist party has been making more and
more bold moves in order to counter both Taiwanese and American interests The People's Republic
of China has seen extensive military growth under the new President's leadership. Multiple
amphibious training exercises have been held, mimicking a potential invasion of Taiwan. While the
island does have the backing of the United States and her forces, Taiwan's military has been criticized
as "ill-prepared" for a defence against China.

The military currently relies on a large amount of dated technology, with 2 of Taiwan's submarines
being constructed in the 1980s. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has been investing heavily in
expanding its military potential. Its military technology is quickly improving, and combined with its
massive size. China's military proves a real threat to both Taiwan and the United States.
Historical sources suggest that the island first came under full Chinese control in the 17th Century
when the Qing dynasty began administering it. Then, in 1895, they gave up the island to Japan after
losing the first Sino Japanese war.

China took the island again in 1945 after Japan lost World War Two. But a civil war erupted in
mainland China between nationalist government forces led by Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong's
Communist Party.
The communists won in 1949 and took control in Beijing. Chiang Kai-shek and what was left
of the nationalist party - known as the Kuomintang - fled to Taiwan, where they ruled for the next
several decades. China points to this history to say that Taiwan was originally a Chinese
province.

But the Taiwanese point to the same history to argue that they were never part of the
modern Chinese state that was first formed after the revolution in 1911 - or the People's Republic of
China that was established under Mao in 1949
The Kuomintang has been one of Taiwan's most prominent political parties ever since - ruling the
island for a significant part of its history. Currently, only 13 countries (plus the Vatican) recognise
Taiwan as a sovereign country. China exerts considerable diplomatic pressure on other countries not
to recognise Taiwan, or to do anything which implies recognition.

China's claim over Taiwan

Beijing asserts that there is only "one China" and that Taiwan is part of it. It views the PRO as the
only legitimate government of China, an approach it calls the One-China principle, and seeks
Taiwan's eventual "unification" with the mainland.
Beijing claims that Taiwan is bound by an understanding known as the 1992 Consensus, which was
reached between representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Kuomintang (KMT)
party that then ruled Taiwan. However, the two sides don't agree on the
content of this so-called consensus. and it was never intended to address the question of Taiwan's
legal status. For the PRC, as Chinese President Xi Jinping has stated, the 1992 Consensus reflects an
agreement that "the two sides of the strait belong to one China and would work together to seek
national reunification." For the KMT, it means "one China, different interpretations," with the ROC
standing as the "one China.
Taiwan's KMT-drafted constitution continues to recognize China, Mongolia, Taiwan, Tibet, and the
South China Sea as part of the ROC. The KMT does not support Taiwan' independence and has
consistently called for closer ties with Beijing. But in the face of recent election losses, KMT leaders
have discussed whether to change the party's stance on the 1992
Consensus.
Taiwan's KMT-drafted constitution continues to recognize China, Mongolia, Taiwan, Tibet, and the
South China Sea as part of the ROC. The KMT does not support Taiwan's independence and has
consistently called for closer ties with Beijing. But in the face of recent election losses, KMT leaders
have discussed whether to change the party's stance on the 1992 Consensus.
In order to better understand why the claim of China over Taiwan is highly undisputed it is essential
to understand the position of China in the United Nations which many political thinkers believe is the
reason for the lack of action taken on behalf of the United Nations and other countries on this matter
and heavily criticised both the parties for the same as well

Projected State of Involvement

Although Taiwan is only recognized by 18 UN member states, it is treated as a de facto political entity
by many states including the US
The PRC's One China policy make Taiwan's independence and self-determination a delicate topic.
Beijing's heavy handedness with Hong Kong undermines any propositions of unification
based on Taiwanese home rule
Any attempt to force Taiwan to unify with mainland China through force would almost certainly
result in victory for the PRC, despite the US supplying Taiwan with military equipment. However, the
US has a vested interest in keeping Taiwan out of Chinese hands.
Control of Taiwan could allow China to project it's power and influence both into the South
China Sea, an already hotly contested region, and the wider Pacific.
Taiwan's economy is also a major factor. It dominates the global production of computer chips,
which play a vital role in much of the world's electronics - unification would give China control over
major industries worldwide. Thus, the US has long adopted a policy of strategic ambiguity" towards
Taiwan - neither committing to its defence, nor committing not to intervene in case of any incursion
by the PRC. Furthermore, it has also formed the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a semi-formal
alliance between the US, Australia, Japan, and India, whose current goal is to prevent Chinese
domination of the Indo-Pacific - an alliance that China views as provocative.

WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

HISTORY

Back in 2001, the US was responding to the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, in which
nearly 3,000 people were killed. Officials identified Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, and its leader
Osama bIn Laden. as responsible
Bin Laden was in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban. the Islamists who had been in
power since 1996.
When they refused to hand him over, the US intervened militarily, quickly removing the Taliban and
vowing to support democracy and eliminate the terrorist threat.
The militants slipped away and later regrouped.
Nato allies had joined the US and a new Afghan government took over in 2004 but deadly Taliban
attacks continued. President Barack Obama's "troop surge" in 2009 helped push back the Taliban but
it was not long term.
In 2014, at the end of what was the bloodiest year since 2001, Nato's international forces ended
their combat mission leaving responsibility for security to the Afghan armv.
That gave the Taliban momentum and they seized more territory.
Peace talks between the US and the Taliban started tentatively, with the Afghan government pretty
much uninvolved, and the agreement on a withdrawal came in February 2020 in Qatar.
The US-Taliban deal did not stop the Taliban attacks - they switched their focus instead to Afghan
security forces and civilians, and targeted assassinations. Their areas of control grew.

Background

In February the Afghan Taliban signed a peace agreement with the USA ahead of a proposed
withdrawal of US troops. The agreement included a pledge to release "up to 5,000" Taliban fighters
held in Afghan government prisons from a list initially given to the USA, in exchange for 1,000
members of the Afghan security forces held by the armed group. The Afghan government resisted
releasing 400 fighters from the list, who were alleged to be responsible for serious crimes. The
proposed release of certain Taliban fighters also triggered concerns from France and Australia as it
included those responsible for killing their soldiers. However, under pressure from the USA they too
were released; a few who were accused of killing foreign citizens were subsequently transferred to
Qatar. Eventually, more than 5,000 Taliban prisoners were released, including prisoners accused of
serIous crimes.

The US-Taliban peace agreement deferred the question of a political settlement in Afghanistan to
direct talks between representatives of the Afghan government and various mainly political groups
on one side, and representatives of the Taliban on the other. The so-called "intra-Afghan talks" began
inSeptember in Doha,Qatar. There was little representation of women on the side of the Afghan
government. and no representation of women in the Taliban delegation. There was also no
representation of conflict victims, despite the demands of human rights groups. By December, the
negotiating teams had only agreed on an internal guiding principle for the negotiation processes
The newly formed interim government in Afghanistan includes neither women nor minority leaders,
but contains many figures who are on the United Nations Sanctions List, speakers in the Security
Council said today, urging the now-ruling Taliban to live up to their promises and establish a more
inclusive and representative administration.

"The lives of millions of Afghans will depend on how the Taliban choose to govern," said Deborah
Lyons, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), describing the all-male cabinet as "disappointing". Of the 33 names
presented, many are the same figures who were part of the Taliban leadership between 1996 and
2001, she added, noting that the prime minister, the two deputy prime ministers and the foreign
minister are under United Nations sanctions
Although the 15-member Council must do something about those sanctioned individuals,
Afghanistan's current humanitarian situation cannot wait for such political decisions, she stated,
emphasizing the immediate need to deliver, on a huge scale, the required aid in such areas as health,
food security, non-food items and sanitation. Another crisis that must be avoided is economic
collapse, she cautioned, stressing the need to resolve the issue of frozen overseas Afghan assets,
while ensuring that those resources don’t end up in the wrong hands.
"The best, and still possible outcome, she continued, "would be for the Taliban to demonstrate that
they seek to create an Atghanistan where people do not live in tear. where those with talents are
invited to participate in rebuilding their country, and where boys and girls, young women and men,
can receive the sort of education that will allow this development to continue"

PREVIOUS UN INVOLVEMENT

Afghanistan and its long and ongoing crisis have been a frequent discussion of the United Nations.
As of December 2021, there are more than 70 United Nations Security Council resolutions on the
topic (Security Council Report, 2021).
With the UNSC Resolution S/RES/1378 2001, United Nations showed support to the Afghan people
and their desire to form a new transitional broad-based multi-ethnic government and United Nations
decided to play a central role in its establishment. The UNSC Resolution S/RES/1386 2001 authorized
the establishment of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is led by NATO, to take
care of security in Kabul. The mandate of ISAF was further extended several times (Security Council
Report, 2021).

With UNSC Resolution S/RES/1401 2002, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
was established. The original goal of UNAMA was to support the implementation of the Bonn
Agreement, which is also known as an Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan
Pending the Re-establishment of Permanent Government Institutions. The said agreement, for
example, provided a legal framework until a new constitution is adopted, established the new Afghan
Armed Forces, etc (United Nations Peacemaker, 2001). The mandate has been extended and altered
several times, on the annual level, lastly on September 17th, 2021.
Since 2008, UNAMA is an integrated mission, meaning that all UN agencies, funds, and programmes
work in a multidimensional and integrated manner to better assist the prioritized needs of
Afghanistan (UNAMA, 2021).