US Secretary of State meets Guterres ahead of Doha meeting on Afghanistan

The U.S. Secretary of State met on Thursday with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Washington ahead of the Doha meeting on Afghanistan.

At the meeting, Antony Blinken said that they will closely discuss the situation in Afghanistan with the UN and will continue to express their deep concern over the ban on women’s work and education.

“We’re also working closely together when it comes to Afghanistan, the deep concerns that so many countries share about the steps the Taliban (IEA) has taken when it comes to denying the rights of women and girls,” said Blinken.

“The broader humanitarian and economic situation, where again the United Nations is playing a leadership role.”

Marks Potzel, political deputy of UNAMA, in another meeting meanwhile with Abdul Salam Hanafi, the deputy prime minister of the Islamic Emirate said that the representatives of 22 countries and two international organizations will vote on human rights and security of Afghanistan, the region and beyond at Doha meeting.

In a newsletter, Potzel was quoted as saying that he praised the measures of IEA in providing security, fighting against drugs and administrative corruption, and said that these steps have a positive effect on the interaction between the current Afghan government and the international community.

“The Islamic Emirate respects international laws, human rights, education and press freedom within the framework of Islamic Sharia and national interests,” said Hanafi at the meeting.

“I hope the participants of Doha meeting can make an effective and positive decision considering the positive and important measures of the Islamic Emirate in line with the above issues.”

Hanafi called the provision of global security, the complete prohibition of cultivation, trade, smuggling, and the use of drugs, and the elimination of administrative corruption among the important achievements of the Islamic Emirate.

At this meeting. Hanafi also said that Afghanistan will not be used against any country.

The Doha meeting is scheduled to be held on May 1st and 2nd. The meeting will be held between the UN Secretary-General and special envoys of various countries on Afghanistan.