{"id":7454,"date":"2023-05-31T15:53:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T14:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=7454"},"modified":"2023-05-31T17:33:11","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T16:33:11","slug":"qatari-pm-concludes-secret-talks-with-taliban-leader-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/diplomatic-world\/qatari-pm-concludes-secret-talks-with-taliban-leader-in-afghanistan\/2023\/05\/31\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Qatari PM concludes secret talks with Taliban leader in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON<\/span> (Reuters)<\/span> –<\/span> The<\/span> Qatari<\/span> prime<\/span> minister<\/span> held<\/span> secret<\/span> talks<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> supreme<\/span> leader<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> this<\/span> month<\/span> on<\/span> resolving<\/span> tension<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> community,<\/span> a<\/span> source<\/span> briefed<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> meeting<\/span> said,<\/span> indicating a<\/span> new<\/span> willingness<\/span> by<\/span> Afghanistan’s<\/span> rulers<\/span> to<\/span> discuss<\/span> ways<\/span> to<\/span> end<\/span> their<\/span> isolation.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>U.S.<\/span> President<\/span> Joe<\/span> Biden’s<\/span> administration<\/span> was<\/span> briefed<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> talks<\/span> and<\/span> is<\/span> “coordinating<\/span> on<\/span> all<\/span> issues<\/span> discussed”<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> pair,<\/span> including<\/span> furthering<\/span> dialogue<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban,<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> source.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> meeting<\/span> represents<\/span> a<\/span> diplomatic<\/span> success<\/span> for<\/span> Qatar,<\/span> which<\/span> has<\/span> criticized<\/span> Taliban<\/span> restrictions<\/span> on<\/span> women<\/span> while<\/span> using<\/span> long-standing<\/span> ties<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> Islamist<\/span> movement<\/span> to<\/span> push<\/span> for<\/span> deeper<\/span> engagement<\/span> with<\/span> Kabul<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> community.<\/span> The<\/span> United<\/span> States<\/span> is<\/span> calling<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> to<\/span> lift<\/span> bans<\/span> on<\/span> girls’<\/span> schools<\/span> and<\/span> women’s<\/span> work,<\/span> including<\/span> by<\/span> UN<\/span> agencies<\/span> and<\/span> humanitarian<\/span> organizations,<\/span> in<\/span> order<\/span> to<\/span> restore<\/span> freedom<\/span> of<\/span> movement<\/span> and<\/span> bring<\/span> Afghans<\/span> from<\/span> outside<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> into<\/span> the<\/span> government.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> source’s<\/span> comments<\/span> are<\/span> hopeful<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> breakthrough<\/span> in<\/span> ending<\/span> the<\/span> world’s<\/span> only<\/span> ban<\/span> of<\/span> its<\/span> kind<\/span> and<\/span> alleviating<\/span> the<\/span> dire<\/span> humanitarian<\/span> and<\/span> financial<\/span> crisis<\/span> that<\/span> has<\/span> left<\/span> tens<\/span> of<\/span> millions<\/span> of<\/span> Afghans<\/span> starving<\/span> and<\/span> unemployed.<\/span> He<\/span> suggested<\/span> the<\/span> U.S.<\/span> government<\/span> was<\/span> in<\/span> favor<\/span> of<\/span> stepping<\/span> up<\/span> lower-level<\/span> talks,<\/span> which<\/span> have<\/span> hitherto<\/span> been<\/span> unproductive.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> White<\/span> House<\/span> declined<\/span> to<\/span> comment<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> meeting.<\/span> The<\/span> State<\/span> Department<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Qatari<\/span> Embassy<\/span> in<\/span> Washington<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> respond<\/span> to<\/span> requests<\/span> for<\/span> comment.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> Taliban<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> respond<\/span> to<\/span> requests<\/span> for<\/span> comment.<\/span> Prohibition<\/span> of<\/span> education<\/span> and<\/span> employment.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Restrictions<\/span> on<\/span> women’s<\/span> education<\/span> and<\/span> employment<\/span> opportunities<\/span> have<\/span> hampered<\/span> humanitarian<\/span> aid,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> government<\/span> will<\/span> take<\/span> power<\/span> in<\/span> August<\/span> 2021<\/span> after<\/span> the<\/span> withdrawal<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> last<\/span> US-led<\/span> international<\/span> force<\/span> after<\/span> 20<\/span> years<\/span> of<\/span> war<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> collapse<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Western-backed<\/span> government.<\/span> It<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> main<\/span> reason<\/span> why<\/span> no<\/span> country<\/span> has<\/span> recognized<\/span> Taliban<\/span> rule<\/span> since<\/span> its<\/span> seizure.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> Taliban’s<\/span> treatment<\/span> of<\/span> women<\/span> and<\/span> girls<\/span> could<\/span> amount<\/span> to<\/span> crimes<\/span> against<\/span> humanity,<\/span> said<\/span> a<\/span> UN<\/span> report<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Human<\/span> Rights<\/span> Council<\/span> in<\/span> Geneva<\/span> in<\/span> March.<\/span> The<\/span> Taliban<\/span> claim<\/span> to<\/span> respect<\/span> women’s<\/span> rights<\/span> in<\/span> line<\/span> with<\/span> their<\/span> interpretation<\/span> of<\/span> Islamic<\/span> law<\/span> and<\/span> Afghan<\/span> customs.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>A<\/span> staunch<\/span> Islamist,<\/span> Mr.<\/span> Haibatura<\/span> has<\/span> shown<\/span> little<\/span> compromise<\/span> when<\/span> it<\/span> comes<\/span> to<\/span> his<\/span> own<\/span> statutes.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>But<\/span> a<\/span> meeting<\/span> with<\/span> Sheikh<\/span> Muhammad<\/span> suggests<\/span> he<\/span> is<\/span> willing<\/span> to<\/span> explore<\/span> ways<\/span> to<\/span> break<\/span> Afghanistan’s<\/span> isolation<\/span> and<\/span> boost<\/span> aid<\/span> programs<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> country<\/span> plunges<\/span> into<\/span> hunger<\/span> and<\/span> poverty.<\/span> \u201cIt<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> very<\/span> positive<\/span> meeting,\u201d<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> source.<\/span> Haibatura<\/span> is<\/span> “very<\/span> interested”<\/span> in<\/span> continuing<\/span> dialogue<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> community.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>However,<\/span> given<\/span> the<\/span> treatment<\/span> of<\/span> women<\/span> and<\/span> poor<\/span> human<\/span> rights<\/span> conditions,<\/span> senior<\/span> members<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> government<\/span> remain<\/span> under<\/span> U.S.<\/span> and<\/span> international<\/span> sanctions,<\/span> so<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> by<\/span> no<\/span> means<\/span> guaranteed<\/span> that<\/span> other<\/span> countries<\/span> will<\/span> eventually<\/span> recognize<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> government.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Sheikh<\/span> Mohammed<\/span> told<\/span> Haibatura<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> need<\/span> to<\/span> lift<\/span> bans<\/span> on<\/span> women’s<\/span> education<\/span> and<\/span> employment,<\/span> including<\/span> bans<\/span> on<\/span> working<\/span> in<\/span> UN<\/span> agencies<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> humanitarian<\/span> organizations,<\/span> sources<\/span> said.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Since<\/span> January,<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> government<\/span> has<\/span> promised<\/span> written<\/span> guidelines<\/span> to<\/span> allow<\/span> aid<\/span> agencies<\/span> to<\/span> operate<\/span> with<\/span> female<\/span> workers.<\/span> The<\/span> Taliban<\/span> banned<\/span> secondary<\/span> education<\/span> for<\/span> girls<\/span> in<\/span> March<\/span> 2022<\/span> and<\/span> extended<\/span> the<\/span> ban<\/span> to<\/span> universities<\/span> in<\/span> December.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>They<\/span> say<\/span> they<\/span> will<\/span> reopen<\/span> secondary<\/span> schools<\/span> for<\/span> girls<\/span> if<\/span> “conditions”<\/span> such<\/span> as<\/span> the<\/span> development<\/span> of<\/span> an<\/span> Islamic<\/span> curriculum<\/span> are<\/span> met.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sheikh<\/span> Muhammad<\/span> and<\/span> Haibatullah<\/span> also<\/span> discussed<\/span> efforts<\/span> to<\/span> resolve<\/span> the<\/span> humanitarian<\/span> crisis<\/span> in<\/span> Afghanistan.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> United<\/span> Nations<\/span> says<\/span> nearly<\/span> three-quarters<\/span> of<\/span> Afghanistan’s<\/span> 40<\/span> million<\/span> people<\/span> are<\/span> in<\/span> need<\/span> of<\/span> aid<\/span> and<\/span> warns<\/span> that<\/span> funds<\/span> are<\/span> running<\/span> out.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>According<\/span> to<\/span> sources,<\/span> Amir<\/span> Muhammad<\/span> told<\/span> Haibatullah<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> “continued<\/span> efforts<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> ground”<\/span> to<\/span> combat<\/span> terrorism,<\/span> apparently<\/span> in<\/span> Kabul’s<\/span> efforts<\/span> to<\/span> dismantle<\/span> Islamic<\/span> State-affiliated<\/span> groups.<\/span> It<\/span> is<\/span> said<\/span> to<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> mentioned.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> Taliban’s<\/span> main<\/span> ideological<\/span> opponents,<\/span> mainly<\/span> based<\/span> in<\/span> eastern<\/span> Afghanistan,<\/span> target<\/span> ethnic<\/span> minorities<\/span> and<\/span> their<\/span> embassies<\/span> in<\/span> Kabul.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Sheikh<\/span> Mohammed,<\/span> who<\/span> is<\/span> also<\/span> Qatar’s<\/span> foreign<\/span> minister,<\/span> met<\/span> publicly<\/span> with<\/span> Taliban<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Hassan<\/span> Akhund<\/span> in<\/span> Kandahar<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> same<\/span> day<\/span> he<\/span> met<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> supreme<\/span> leader.<\/span> He<\/span> was<\/span> accompanied<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> Qatari<\/span> intelligence<\/span> chief.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>However,<\/span> neither<\/span> side<\/span> has<\/span> announced<\/span> a<\/span> meeting<\/span> with<\/span> Haibatura.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Although<\/span> he<\/span> rarely<\/span> leaves<\/span> Kandahar,<\/span> he<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban’s<\/span> main<\/span> religious,<\/span> political<\/span> and<\/span> military<\/span> leader<\/span> since<\/span> 2016,<\/span> leading<\/span> the<\/span> campaign<\/span> to<\/span> overthrow<\/span> Kabul’s<\/span> Western-backed<\/span> government.<\/span> Qatar<\/span> allowed<\/span> militants<\/span> to<\/span> open<\/span> political<\/span> offices<\/span> in<\/span> Doha<\/span> in<\/span> 2013,<\/span> facilitating<\/span> talks<\/span> with<\/span> Washington,<\/span> leading<\/span> to<\/span> a<\/span> 2020<\/span> agreement<\/span> to<\/span> withdraw<\/span> a<\/span> US-led<\/span> international<\/span> force<\/span> it<\/span> had<\/span> fought<\/span> for<\/span> two<\/span> decades.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> minor<\/span> Gulf<\/span> monarchy<\/span> does<\/span> not<\/span> have<\/span> formal<\/span> diplomatic<\/span> relations<\/span> with<\/span> Afghanistan,<\/span> but<\/span> an<\/span> embassy<\/span> in<\/span> Kabul<\/span> is<\/span> open<\/span> and<\/span> represents<\/span> US<\/span> interests<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> country.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Qatar<\/span> has<\/span> long<\/span> urged<\/span> the<\/span> international<\/span> community<\/span> to<\/span> agree<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> “roadmap”<\/span> of<\/span> steps<\/span> toward<\/span> recognition<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Taliban,<\/span> saying<\/span> Afghanistan’s<\/span> isolation<\/span> could<\/span> undermine<\/span> regional<\/span> security.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Qatari prime minister held secret talks with the supreme leader of the Taliban this month on resolving tension with the international community, a source briefed on the meeting said, indicating a new willingness by Afghanistan’s rulers to discuss ways to end their isolation. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration was briefed on […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7455,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2418,2458,24,26,276],"tags":[5703,5704,5705,5706,5707,5708,5709,5710,5711,74,2688,2689,2690,2691,2697,5702],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/download-4-3.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7454"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7454"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7465,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7454\/revisions\/7465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}