21:54 03/09/2021
The Taliban will soon announce the expected composition of their government, which they say will aim for friendly diplomatic relations with the United States and the world at large, based on "mutual respect".
Bilal Karimi, a senior Taliban official, a member of the Cultural Commission, told VOA that the date for the announcement has not been set yet, but that it will be "very soon". He spoke in response to reports that the Islamist group would announce the composition of the government on Friday.
The Taliban are under scrutiny by the international community to see if they will follow through on their promises of a system of government with representation from all Afghan ethnic groups, which will respect human rights, especially women's rights, unlike the government of their previous.
“It will be a comprehensive, strong and stable system or central government. We already have very good relations with a large number of countries and we do not expect any problems,” said Mr. Karimi to the Voice of America when asked if the proposal for the organization of the government would provide them with much-needed international recognition for the country.
Britain stressed on Friday that it will ask the Taliban to fulfill their pledges because "deeds, not just words" are required.
In the comments he made in Pakistan, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that Britain is following the "new reality" in Afghanistan and will not see the undoing of the country's social and economic structure.
"Our position is that we do not recognize the Taliban as a government, but we understand the importance of engaging with them to have a direct line of communication," said Mr. Raab.
Mr. Karimi dismissed as "incorrect" media reports that the Taliban's political deputy, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the group's co-founder, would head the new government and that the proposed governing organization would be somewhat similar to that of neighboring Iran.
The Taliban seized the Afghan capital last month after sweeping military victories, taking control of 33 of the country's 34 provinces in about a week.
The fundamentalist group retook power in Kabul nearly 20 years after it was ousted by a US-led military intervention as part of the US war to crack down on al-Qaeda leaders holed up in Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan began after the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001 by al-Qaeda operatives.
The US and other countries and international creditor organizations have frozen financial aid programs for Afghanistan, making the resumption of aid conditional on the form of the future government of the Taliban.
Numerous challenges await this war-torn and impoverished South Asian country, including growing humanitarian and economic crises.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday that Washington remains "unwavering" in its commitment to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan. Recognizing the Taliban, however, is related to the practical steps the next Afghan government will have to take, he said.
Spokesman Price said in comments to reporters that "acts, especially on topics that are very important to us, such as safe passage, respect for human rights in Afghanistan, including the rights of women and girls and minorities, an inclusive government, a government that fulfills its commitments against terrorism and a government that respects universal and international norms".
Taliban official Bilal Karimi sounded optimistic about Kabul's ties with Washington in the future.
"The Islamic Emirate is ready to maintain good diplomatic, economic and trade relations with America on the basis of mutual respect and equality," he said. /VOA
Source of information @TvKlan: Read more at: www.botasot.al
