Taliban asks UN for a seat at the table

Spokesperson says Taliban govt seeks positive ties with all countries, including US

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has urged the United Nations (UN) to recognise the new regime in Kabul, saying the Taliban want to have "positive relations" with all countries, including the United States.

In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Taliban Spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban "opened up a new phase" of investments and joint ventures in Afghanistan.

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The Afghan people have gained independence after long struggles. This has opened up a new phase for an independent country to have positive relations with all countries including US based on mutual interests, investments in and reconstruction of Afghanistan, joint ventures

— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) November 16, 2021

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for explorations and extractions of natural resources. We are abiding by the Doha Agreement, not to allow any one to use the soil of Afghanistan against any other country. The current government has sovereignty and writ all over the country and has support of the people,

— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) November 16, 2021

3/3 reflecting their aspirations. We have all the conditions needed for occupying the seat of Afghanistan at UN. We hope, legal requirements will supersede political preferences.

— Suhail Shaheen. محمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) November 16, 2021

 

The spokesperson further said that the Taliban regime was complying with the Doha agreement and the government would not let international terrorist outfits operate on its soil.

He claimed the Taliban have the support of the Afghan nation and had established its writ across Afghanistan, adding that the Taliban "represented people's aspirations". According to Shaheen, the Taliban government fulfilled the criteria to become a member of the UN.

"We hope legal requirements will supersede political preferences," he said without elaborating on these "preferences".

Last month, UN chief Antonio Guterres had slammed the Taliban for breaking promises over girls' education. "I am particularly alarmed to see promises made to Afghan women and girls by the Taliban being broken," he had told reporters.

Read Taliban govt calls for unfreezing Afghan assets abroad

"Broken promises lead to broken dreams for the women and girls of Afghanistan," Guterres said, noting that three million girls have enrolled in school since 2001, and the average amount of education for girls has increased from six years to 10.

"Eighty percent of Afghanistan's economy is informal, with a preponderant role of women. Without them, there is no way the Afghan economy and society will recover," the UN chief had warned.

The Taliban are seeking recognition, as well as assistance to avoid a humanitarian disaster, after they returned to power in August following the withdrawal of US troops after 20 years of war.

The Taliban badly need allies as Afghanistan's economy is in a parlous state with international aid cut off, food prices rising and unemployment spiking.

Meanwhile, US Special Representative on Afghanistan Thomas West called on Russia's Special Presidential Representative Kabulov and Security Council Deputy Secretary Venediktov to discuss issues pertaining to Afghanistan.

West said along with matters of mutual interest, both sides also stressed the need for the Taliban to fulfill their pledges to the international community.

Met today in Moscow with Special Presidential Representative Kabulov and Security Council Deputy Secretary Venediktov. Discussed shared interests in Afghanistan and need for Taliban to fulfill commitments to international community.

— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) November 15, 2021