Taliban, US, Qatar hold trilateral meeting in Turkey

US envoy called the meeting ‘a win-win situation’, says Afghan foreign ministry

ISTANBUL:

Senior officials from Afghanistan, Qatar and the US held a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) that kicked off in Turkey on Friday.

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and Tom West, US special representative for Afghanistan, read an Afghan foreign ministry statement.

Muttaqi reiterated the Taliban’s call for “recognition of the new government and release of property as legitimate right of Afghans,” emphasising the Taliban government’s efforts to “promote political relations and the economy,” the statement said.

The Taliban official said the situation in Afghanistan was “more conducive to positive and diplomatic engagement with the international community than ever before.”

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The US envoy called the meeting “a win-win situation” and discussed Washington’s “future policy on Afghanistan,” the statement said.

“We are trying to get Afghanistan’s economy back on its feet,” West was quoted as saying.

The three sides lauded the ADF as a “good opportunity to develop contacts,” the statement added.

The second edition of the annual ADF has brought together politicians, diplomats, opinion makers and academics from around the world to discuss hot button global issues.

Muttaqi is heading Afghanistan’s delegation, which will engage in discussions and meet missions from various countries over the next two days.