Taliban Foreign Minister seeks to normalise relations with US
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said in an exclusive interview with Kyodo News on Wednesday (26/8) that his administration is “working to normalise relations” between Afghanistan and the United States.
He urged the US government to stop using a confrontational approach. He stressed that the two countries can establish a relationship based on “mutual respect and shared interests”.
The statement comes amid concerns from the US government that Afghanistan could once again become a centre of global terrorism. For context, 31 August marks five years since US forces were fully withdrawn from the South Asian country.
To date, only Russia has formally recognised the Taliban’s interim government. Meanwhile, sharp criticism from the international community continues to flow, particularly regarding the authorities’ policy of banning girls from receiving education above the junior secondary school level.
On this matter, Muttaqi said that obtaining formal recognition from the international community is a “secondary matter”. He stressed that his side’s current priority is to build diplomatic relations and practical cooperation first.
However, he gave no certainty as to when girls in Afghanistan will again be allowed to attend school at higher levels.
Muttaqi claimed that since returning to power in August 2021, his administration has succeeded in creating security and stability in Afghanistan. He therefore asked the US to reconsider its political stance towards the Taliban government.
On the same occasion, Muttaqi also touched on Afghanistan’s bilateral relations with Japan, which he described as “historic and close”.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the Afghan Embassy in Tokyo was forced to cease operations in January due to differences of opinion regarding the acceptance of new diplomats.
He encouraged concrete steps to restore the embassy’s services, while promoting Afghanistan as an investment destination.
Regarding the military technical cooperation pact signed with Russia in May, Muttaqi explained that the agreement is purely aimed at the repair and maintenance of Russian-made weaponry.
He assured that the cooperation is “not a military alliance against any particular country”. He declined to comment on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, touching on relations with Pakistan, Muttaqi said he prioritises resolving disputes through dialogue with Afghanistan’s neighbouring country.