Afghanistan is the world's fifth-poorest nation, he said. "And even with all the international support you can possibly expect in a country like that, after 10 years it will still be a very poor country."
The spurt in the insurgency has been fed in part by extremist ideologies but also by "absence of government, bad governance or corruption on the government side, or negligence," he said.
The UN has been among those encouraged by debate on peace talks with the Taliban -- perhaps even fugitive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar himself -- if they agree to join the democratic process.
One man who has already opted for reconciliation is Abdul Wakeel Muttawakil, a Taliban-era foreign minister who surrendered and today lives in Kabul.
"Killing the Taliban leaders is not a solution. It might halt their activity temporarily, but it can't end this violence," he said.
In the aftermath of the Taliban defeat, talks may have been the answer. But "bad people" in government, as well as the presence of international troops focused on "killing or capturing the Taliban" has created the resistance, he said.
"In 2002 we could afford the absence of the foreign forces in Afghanistan, at least for a few months," former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah said in an interview. "Today we cannot afford it for six minutes."
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