The US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, leading an interagency delegation including representatives from the State Department, Department of Treasury, USAID and intelligence community held a two-day discussion in Doha with the Islamic Emirate delegates led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The State Department in a statement said the US delegation called on the Islamic Emirate to deliver its promises “not to allow anyone to pose a threat to any country from the soil of Afghanistan, safe passage for U.S.
citizens and Afghans to whom we have a special commitment, the protection of the rights of all of Afghanistan’s citizens, including its women, girls, and minorities, and the safe release of hostage Mark Frerichs,” the statement said.
Humanitarian aid was another part of the discussions, and the two sides discussed the international community’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
The US delegation pledged to continuing supporting the UN and humanitarian agencies’ efforts in Afghanistan to scale up their aid to the people of Afghanistan as winter approaches, the State Department said.
The State Department says that the US will ensure that its sanctions do not limit the Afghans in receiving humanitarian aid from the US and international community “while denying assets to sanctioned entities and individuals,” the state said.
The US delegates shared their concerns about Al Qaida and Daesh in Afghanistan. In response, the Islamic Emirate delegates assured the US side that the territory of Afghanistan will not be used for threatening any country by any group.
The US delegates urged the Islamic Emirate to implement the recent statements from their leaders about support for women and girls’ access to education at all levels.
“The Taliban expressed openness to engaging with the international community on full access to education and welcomed efforts to verify and monitor progress to enroll women and girls in school at all levels. The Taliban asked for support in the education sector,” the statement reads.
The US delegates also expressed their concern regarding reports of human rights abuses and urged the Islamic Emirate to protect the rights of All Afghans, enforce its policy of general amnesty and take steps for forming an inclusive and representative government.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate delegates called on the US to release Afghanistan central bank’s assets immediately and without conditions.
“The Afghan side assured them about security, urged immediate unconditional unfreezing of Afghan reserves, ending of sanctions and blacklists, and disconnecting humanitarian issues from political considerations,” the foreign ministry spokesman said.— Agencies
