Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement concerning Doha meeting on Afghanistan

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has striven to strengthen the political, administrative, security, economic and social foundations of the government over the course of two and half years, and simultaneously, has achieved much progress in its relations with regional countries.

Moreover, the Islamic Emirate has held discussions through various channels in a professional manner with the United Nations and western countries, particularly the United States of America, regarding unlawful unilateral sanctions, black and reward lists, and the release of Afghanistan’s bank reserves.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan believed that the meeting of Special Envoys for Afghanistan being convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the capital of Qatar, Doha, was a good opportunity to hold frank and productive dialogue on issues of disagreement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified to the UN that if the Islamic Emirate is to participate as the sole official representative of Afghanistan and if there exists an opportunity to hold frank talks between the Afghan delegation and the UN about all issues on a very senior level, then participation would be beneficial. Else, ineffective
participation by the Emirate due to non-progress in this area was deemed unbeneficial.

It should be noted that if the UN takes stock of current realities, rebuffs influence and pressure by a few parties, and takes into consideration the fact that unlike the previous twenty-year regime, this government of Afghanistan cannot be coerced by anyone, then there exists possibility of achieving progress in talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The two and half year engagement between the Islamic Emirate and regional countries has demonstrated that if repetition of failed twenty-year experimentation is discarded, and a realistic and pragmatic approach is adopted over unilateral impositions, accusations and pressurization, then progress can also be made in bilateral relations with
other parties.