UK representatives met for the first time on Tuesday (5) with Taliban representatives since the group regained power in Afghanistan in August. Simon Gass, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior representative for the Afghan transition, and Martin Longden, in charge of the UK mission in Afghanistan in Doha, attended the meeting in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
On Twitter, Longden reported that “a wide range of issues” were addressed at the meeting, including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, the importance of safe passage for citizens of the UK and Afghanistan and the rights of women and girls.
“We are at the very beginning and, to anyone’s surprise, there are points of difference between us. But these and other difficult challenges await Afghanistan, (so) it’s important to see if we can pragmatically engage and find a common denominator – one that serves the interests of both the UK and the Afghan people,” Longden pointed out.
According to the Associated Press, the Taliban has expressed interest in maintaining good relations with all countries. “In return, we want the international community to return the Afghan nation’s cash capital to our nation,” the group said in a statement, referring to Afghan assets blocked in US accounts. On the eve of the meeting with the British, the Taliban met with an Iranian delegation to discuss trade relations.
UK representatives met for the first time on Tuesday (5) with Taliban representatives since the group regained power in Afghanistan in August. Simon Gass, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior representative for the Afghan transition, and Martin Longden, in charge of the UK mission in Afghanistan in Doha, attended the meeting in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
On Twitter, Longden reported that “a wide range of issues” were addressed at the meeting, including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, the importance of safe passage for citizens of the UK and Afghanistan and the rights of women and girls.
“We are at the very beginning and, to anyone’s surprise, there are points of difference between us. But these and other difficult challenges await Afghanistan, (so) it’s important to see if we can pragmatically engage and find a common denominator – one that serves the interests of both the UK and the Afghan people,” Longden pointed out.
According to the Associated Press, the Taliban has expressed interest in maintaining good relations with all countries. “In return, we want the international community to return the Afghan nation’s cash capital to our nation,” the group said in a statement, referring to Afghan assets blocked in US accounts. On the eve of the meeting with the British, the Taliban met with an Iranian delegation to discuss trade relations.
UK representatives met for the first time on Tuesday (5) with Taliban representatives since the group regained power in Afghanistan in August. Simon Gass, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior representative for the Afghan transition, and Martin Longden, in charge of the UK mission in Afghanistan in Doha, attended the meeting in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
On Twitter, Longden reported that “a wide range of issues” were addressed at the meeting, including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, the importance of safe passage for citizens of the UK and Afghanistan and the rights of women and girls.
“We are at the very beginning and, to anyone’s surprise, there are points of difference between us. But these and other difficult challenges await Afghanistan, (so) it’s important to see if we can pragmatically engage and find a common denominator – one that serves the interests of both the UK and the Afghan people,” Longden pointed out.
According to the Associated Press, the Taliban has expressed interest in maintaining good relations with all countries. “In return, we want the international community to return the Afghan nation’s cash capital to our nation,” the group said in a statement, referring to Afghan assets blocked in US accounts. On the eve of the meeting with the British, the Taliban met with an Iranian delegation to discuss trade relations.
UK representatives met for the first time on Tuesday (5) with Taliban representatives since the group regained power in Afghanistan in August. Simon Gass, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior representative for the Afghan transition, and Martin Longden, in charge of the UK mission in Afghanistan in Doha, attended the meeting in Kabul, the Afghan capital.
On Twitter, Longden reported that “a wide range of issues” were addressed at the meeting, including the humanitarian crisis, terrorism, the importance of safe passage for citizens of the UK and Afghanistan and the rights of women and girls.
“We are at the very beginning and, to anyone’s surprise, there are points of difference between us. But these and other difficult challenges await Afghanistan, (so) it’s important to see if we can pragmatically engage and find a common denominator – one that serves the interests of both the UK and the Afghan people,” Longden pointed out.
According to the Associated Press, the Taliban has expressed interest in maintaining good relations with all countries. “In return, we want the international community to return the Afghan nation’s cash capital to our nation,” the group said in a statement, referring to Afghan assets blocked in US accounts. On the eve of the meeting with the British, the Taliban met with an Iranian delegation to discuss trade relations.