Iranian Envoy Calls For Fair Governance & Good Relations With Neighbours At Kabul Summit

During the regional summit in Kabul, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's Special Representative for Afghanistan, emphasised on the necessity of fair governance and fostering good relations with neighbouring countries.

Qomi suggested that demonstrating these two core principles in an official declaration would be positively received both regionally and internationally.

During his address at the "Afghanistan Regional Cooperation Initiative" in Kabul, Qomi expressed satisfaction that the summit was organised following Tehran's proposal at the Moscow Format meeting.

He highlighted the importance of establishing a secure platform for Afghanistan's global engagement, respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Kabul summit, marking the first instance of the Taliban hosting a regional meeting with ambassadors and special representatives from neighbouring and regional countries, began on Monday afternoon at the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Despite being delayed due to bad weather as reported by Taliban-controlled media, the meeting eventually started around 4:30 PM Kabul time.

This meeting takes place against the backdrop of the upcoming UN Secretary-General-hosted summit on Afghanistan in Doha.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister, urged regional representatives attending the Doha summit to accurately present the realities of Afghanistan to the global community. He reassured the participants that Afghanistan does not require a new UN coordinator, given the presence of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Muttaqi reiterated the Taliban's stance against the appointment of a new UN special representative, asserting the Taliban government's readiness to address shared concerns and issues. This statement comes in response to the UN Security Council's Resolution 2721 (2023), which recommends the appointment of a representative to facilitate intra-Afghan dialogues for an inclusive government.

In his meeting with representatives from 11 regional countries, Muttaqi emphasised on the Taliban's commitment to regional security, stating the group's intention to prevent instability and insecurity in neighbouring countries.