Muttaqi addresses China meeting on Afghanistan, calls for regional support

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) told delegates attending a conference in China on Thursday that the government is working to make sure the political structure in Afghanistan is inclusive.

Addressing delegates attending the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan’s Neighboring Countries Meeting in China, Muttaqi also said the cabinet has set up a ministerial-level commission to liaise with Afghan figures at home.

He stated that the new government of Afghanistan wants to ensure security is maintained and that no conflict takes place. He said a balanced economic policy also needs to be established.

On the issue of Daesh, Muttaqi said that the terrorist organization has largely been eliminated in Afghanistan.

“Unfortunately, Daesh is being propagated from outside and a media atmosphere is being created for it,” Muttaqi told the conference participants.

He did however call on countries in the region to support the new Afghan government and said: “Strengthening the new government was in everyone’s interest and its weakness was to the detriment of all.

“The Afghan government was committed to addressing all concerns,” he added.

“Afghanistan’s assets have been frozen and its political representation at the United Nations has been handed over to someone who neither represents the government nor can serve the people, and his political and economic rights have been usurped,” he said.

Muttaqi said that the Islamic Emirate is trying to address all the political, economic and social problems in a wise and careful manner.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who chaired the meeting, meanwhile expressed hope for progress and achievements in Afghanistan.

“There should be no threats to anyone in Afghanistan,” Wang said.

Wang welcomed Muttaqi’s remarks and praised Afghanistan’s position.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also addressed delegates and thanked Muttaqi for his remarks and stressed his support for Afghans.

“Western nations must play their part in Afghanistan,” stressing that the “previous regime’s representation at the UN could not represent Afghanistan and that it was taking advantage of the situation.”

He also referred to the introduction of new diplomats to the Afghan embassy in Russia.

All participants stressed the need to work with the new Afghan government.

Representatives of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan stressed the importance of implementing major economic projects with Afghanistan and the importance of transit corridors through Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also said that the question of recognizing the new Afghan government should be settled with the consent of all countries in the region.

The Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Qatar, in turn, called for and promised more cooperation with Afghanistan.

At the end of the meeting, Wang stated the meeting had been a positive move and thanked Muttaqi for his explanations.

Wang said the next meeting will be held in Uzbekistan and that once again the Afghan Foreign Minister will attend.