Afghanistan: Taliban asks US to release frozen assets at Doha talks
- Acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi holds first in-person discussions with American counterparts since US withdrawal
- He also said Washington would offer Afghans coronavirus vaccines
The minister added that the Afghan delegation and US counterparts discussed “opening a new page” between the two countries, adversaries during the United States’ two-decade long occupation of Afghanistan.
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Washington and other Western countries are grappling with difficult choices as a severe humanitarian crisis looms large over Afghanistan. They are trying to formulate how to engage with the Taliban without granting it the legitimacy it seeks while ensuring humanitarian aid flows into the country.
The departure of US-led forces and many international donors robbed the country of grants that financed 75 per cent of public spending, according to the World Bank.
Muttaqi also said that the Afghan delegation focus at the meeting was humanitarian aid and implementing Doha agreement.
He said the discussions would continue on Saturday and would resume on Sunday. Muttaqi added the Afghan delegation will meet European Union representatives to discuss latest developments, but he didn’t mention when the meeting will be held.