Muttaqi says IEA will skip Doha meeting if their ‘conditions’ aren’t met

Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi said Wednesday in a meeting with Russia’s ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov that if the Islamic Emirate’s conditions are not taken into consideration ahead of the Doha meeting, then the IEA would prefer to sit this out.

In answer to a question by Zhirnov on whether the IEA would attend the Doha gathering of special representatives to Afghanistan, along with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Muttaqi said they were in close contact with the relevant UN agencies and had shared their views on whether to attend.

Muttaqi said it would be good to attend the meeting but only if it is an opportunity for high-level meaningful consultations between the IEA and the UN, and if the IEA is able to fulfill its responsibility as the official representative of Afghanistan.

Muttaqi said if the IEA’s conditions are not taken into consideration, non-participation would be preferred.

Zhirnov said he understands the IEA’s stance and would convey this to Moscow.

The two diplomats also discussed other issues of bilateral importance.

The IEA has reportedly set conditions for them to attend the meeting. However they have not given details.

On Tuesday, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador and special representative in Kabul, said the Islamic Emirate has two “important conditions” in order for a delegation to participate.

Qomi did not however say what the two conditions were.

The second meeting of the special representatives of the countries on Afghanistan affairs is scheduled to be held on the 18 and 19 of this month in Doha.

The meeting will be hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and participants will discuss the recommendations in the “Afghanistan Independent Assessment” report based on UN Security Council Resolution 2721.