Taliban urges international community’s backing for sanctions removal

KABUL: The Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi urged international community’s support for the removal of sanctions on the incumbent government of Afghanistan led by the group.

During the meeting, “Minister Muttaqi elaborated on the new Islamic government, ensuring security, ties with the international community, economic situation, sanctions imposed on Afghanistan, and elimination of corruption”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said in a statement.

“Afghanistan is witnessing a dominant government in 40 years, therefore the international community should call on the US to remove sanctions on the Afghan people’s national wealth,” the Minister was quoted as saying in the meeting.The new Afghan government “as a responsible government” fulfilled all of the conditions and that it should be recognised, he added.In the meeting, reportedly mediated by the Qatari government, the envoys urged the Taliban to abide by international rules, respect human rights, guarantee safe passage to Afghanistan and eradicate terrorism.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Acting Foreign Minister held talks with Markus Potzel, Germany’s Ambassador-designate to Afghanistan.