The Taliban have asked to speak to world leaders at the United Nations in New York this week. According to the letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Suhail Shaheen became Afghanistan’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi made the request in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Muttaqi hopes to speak during the general assembly’s annual high-level meeting which ends on Monday.
Guterres spokesman Farhan Haq confirmed Muttaqi’s letter. The move sparked a row with Ghulam Isaczai, the UN ambassador in New York who represents the Afghan government toppled by the Taliban.
Haq said a rival request for Afghanistan’s UN seat had been sent to a nine-member credential committee whose members include the United States, China and Russia. The committee is unlikely to discuss the issue before Monday so it is doubtful that the Taliban foreign minister will speak to the UN.
The UN’s acceptance of the Taliban ambassador would be an important step in their efforts to seek international recognition that could help unlock funds for the Afghan economy. Guterres said the Taliban’s desire for international recognition was the only leverage other countries had to press for an inclusive government and respect for rights, especially for women in Afghanistan.
“The Taliban letter says Isaczai’s mission is considered complete and he no longer represents Afghanistan,” Haq said, quoted by Al Arabiya, Wednesday (22/9).
According to general assembly rules, decisions made by the credential committee Isaczai will remain on behalf of Afghanistan. Currently, he is scheduled to address the final day of the meeting on September 27. But it is not clear whether any country objected after the Taliban’s letter.
The committee usually meets in October or November to assess the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report for approval to the general assembly before the end of the year. General committees and assemblies usually operate by consensus on credentials.
When the Taliban last ruled between 1996 and 2001, the ambassador of the Afghan government they ousted remained the UN representative after the credentials committee delayed its decision on a rival claim to the seat. in the work of the general assembly,” according to the committee report.
(NFL)
