Taliban can change, says Qatar FM

KABUL, Afghanistan: Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, said the Taliban can change and act differently.

He also said the Muslim countries have a pivotal role to play by showing the Taliban what modern Muslim societies look like. “I believe the ones who are among Taliban can change and can be working on (it), but this will need a real effort, especially by the Muslim countries,” he said.

He said there are changes among the different Taliban members and the Taliban are not the same as 20 years ago. “Looking at the Taliban today, it is not the same Taliban as 20 years ago. Maybe the people who are fighting are different than the people who were negotiating. I am not saying that those are modernised and others are extremists, but there is a difference,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon said peace and stability in Afghanistan depends on inclusivity in the government. “We insisted that the Tajiks and other ethnicities should have a credible place in an inclusive government. Peace and stability can be assured by doing this,” he said.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó at the UNGA said the world must stop Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for the international terrorist organisations, adding that the UN has to play a crucial role in this regard. “We have to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe place for the terrorist organisations again,” he said.

He also described the Afghanistan’s situation as a major failure for the international community after 20 years of engagement. Although the international community has not recognised the caretaker government, the Taliban have repeatedly said they want good relations with all the world’s countries.