Islamic Emirate Proved Afghan Soil Not a Threat: Interior Minister

KABUL, Afghanistan – Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani during his visit to the southeastern province of Khost asked the international community to recognize the Islamic Emirate rule, saying its government has proven not be a threat against any country.

This came days after the Uzbekistan government announced it will host a tow-day conference on Afghanistan in July 25-26, where delegations from more than 20 countries will participate.

“Based on international principles and our Islamic and national traditions they (the world leaders and international community) should recognize the Islamic Emirate, but if they don’t recognize it, I assure our people that Afghans are not without resolve,” he said, as TOLOnews quoted.

Praising Afghans strength and resistance during the war, Haqqani said people can still fight economic challenges and similar crisis by themselves if the world refuses to provide any resources.

“They (Afghans) have fought for 20 years without foreign resources, and with their faith and zeal, they will fight against the economic situation with the strength of their arms,” he added.

Emphasizing on joint-venture and mutual interest, the Acting Interior Minister said Afghanistan’s relations with the world with benefit both sides, asking on what basis the world will approach Afghan leaders if they won’t recognize their government officially.  

“I want to say that it is in their best interest to create diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, they need us and we need them, if tomorrow they need us in any matter, then based on what principles they will talk to me,” he exclaimed.

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But the international community – including world leaders – laid down conditions before giving the Taliban a formal identity to lead the Afghanistan republic government: 1- Observe women’s right, 2- observe freedom of speech, 3- never use of Afghan soil as a threat to other countries, including the United States, 4- and form an inclusive government.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US envoy for Afghanistan peace, in an interview with “Talks at GS” said that the Islamic Emirate has not fulfilled the Doha agreement commitments, according to the TOLOnews report.

“There were things that they committed themselves too, and things that we committed ourselves too in return, parts of it were implemented and parts are not,” he said.

Earlier, the Uzbekistan government announced it will host a tow-day conference on Afghanistan later this month, where delegations from more than 20 countries will participate.

The event that is scheduled for July 25-26 aims to facilitate approaches for international communities to better engage in diplomatic relation with Afghanistan, as well as promote peace and security in the country.

“The main goal of the event is to develop a set of measures and proposals for the approaches of the world community to promote stability, security, post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan and its integration into regional cooperation processes in the interests of the multinational Afghan people and the whole world,” the statement reads, as TOLOnews quoted.

Analysts believe “the attention of the world has been distracted,” saying international community plays vital role on Afghanistan’s overall growth, including political and economic sectors, and so they should not let the country be isolated from the rest of the world.

“The world is responsible to play an important role regarding Afghanistan in its economic field to prevent Afghanistan from being side-lined and the collapse of the political and economic systems,” said Wali Froozan, an economist, as local media reported.

Highlighting the agenda of the event, Nazak Meer Ziyarmal, an economist, said Afghan railway line that connects Kabul to neighboring Pakistan will be one of the main topics during the two-day conference in Uzbekistan.

“In the economic area, the humanitarian aid, transit, unfinished projects of Uzbekistan in Afghanistan, particularly the railway to Kabul and from Kabul to Peshawar, will be the main agendas of the conference,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate officials said its delegation led by the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi will participate in the conference, discussing joint-venture and bilateral ties among the other key topics.

“Following an official invitation of Uzbekistan, a delegation led by Amir Khan Muttaqi and comprised of members of ministries and sectorial organizations will attend and the Islamic Emirate will express its needs,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.

The Kabul delegation “will also meet with several others on the side-lines of the conference,” he added.