New York
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday he believed the world was united on pressing the Taliban after speaking with Pakistan, China and Russia, key players with Afghanistan’s new rulers.
Blinken on Thursday met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his Pakistani counterpart and held talks with ministers of the four other veto-wielding Security Council members including China and Russia on Wednesday evening.
“I think there is very strong unity of approach and unity of purpose,” Blinken told reporters. “The Taliban says that it seeks legitimacy, that it seeks
support from the international community. The relationship that it has with the international community is going to be defined by the actions it takes.”
Blinken reiterated US priorities for the Taliban including allowing Afghans and foreigners to leave, respecting the rights of women, girls and minorities, and not letting Afghanistan be used again by extremists such as Al Qaeda.
The State Department said Blinken highlighted “the importance of coordinating our diplomatic engagement” in talks with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Pakistan has called for engagement with the Taliban and the unfreezing of Afghan assets but Qureshi said earlier in the week that there was no rush to recognise a new Taliban government, a step opposed by Western nations.
Qureshi, opening his meeting with Blinken, said, “We have to find a way of collectively working to achieve our common objective, which is peace and stability.” China and Russia have both moved to engage with the Taliban but have also stopped short of recognition and have longstanding concerns about religious extremism.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Antony Blinken discussed bilateral relations and the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country.
Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s desire for a balanced relationship with the United States that was anchored in trade, investment, energy and regional connectivity. He also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating efforts for an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.
He stressed that only a stable and broad-based government in Afghanistan, which reflects its diversity and preserves the gains made by the country since 2001, would be able to ensure that Afghan territory is never exploited by transnational terrorist groups ever again.–Agencies
