3rd Doha Meeting Provides Opportunities For Bilateral Cooperation, Says Taliban’s FM

The Taliban's Foreign Minister, during a meeting with the UN Under-Secretary-General, stated that the group did not find its "ceremonial presence" at the recent Doha meeting beneficial, which is why they did not participate in the second Doha meeting.

Amir Khan Muttaqi mentioned that according to the agenda of the third Doha meeting, a "bilateral cooperation groundwork" will be established.

According to Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), Muttaqi met Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for political and peace-building affairs, on Sunday.

RTA reported that DiCarlo, referring to the third Doha meeting, said that in addition to representatives of member countries and international organisations, representatives from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank would also participate.

Earlier, the main topics of the third Doha meeting had been outlined as "financial and banking issues, drug control, alternative crops for Afghan farmers, and the impacts of climate change”.

Previously, Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced readiness for the third Doha meeting focusing on Afghanistan.

Otunbayeva did not provide a specific schedule for the third Doha meeting.

Previously, the Taliban refrained from participating in the second Doha meeting, which was held on February 18-19 last year with the presence of special representatives for Afghanistan from various countries.

The group had requested the UN to ensure that only the Taliban represent Afghanistan at this meeting and had objected to the presence of Afghan civil society representatives.

Regarding Afghanistan's representation at the UN, the Taliban's Foreign Minister told the Under-Secretary-General that "the real representative of Afghanistan at the UN should represent the [Taliban] regime and obstacles in this regard should be removed”.

Currently, the Taliban's efforts to obtain Afghanistan's seat at the UN have failed, and it remains held by the representative of the former government.