United Nations Special Coordinator for Afghanistan Feridun Sinirlioglu is in Kabul for discussions with the Taliban, leading up to a UN-hosted meeting in Doha in two weeks. The Taliban’s attendance at the Doha meeting remains unconfirmed.
Sinirlioglu met Monday with Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul. The talks centered on the upcoming Doha meeting.
The Taliban-run Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said Muttaqi referenced United Nations Resolution 2771, arguing against the need for a UN special representative in Kabul.
The Taliban, citing Sinirlioglu, stated an agreement was reached for their attendance at the Doha meeting. The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry has been asked to send a high-level delegation, the statement said.
Muttaqi called the Doha meeting a significant opportunity for Afghanistan, noting the Taliban will decide on attendance after learning more about its composition, agenda, and organization, the statement added/
The statement also mentioned Sinirlioglu’s discussions with Muttaqi about the Doha meeting but did not provide specifics. According to the statement, Sinirlioglu emphasized the meeting’s goal of fostering ongoing international engagement with Afghanistan to further political progress.
Details of the UN’s stance and Sinirlioglu’s conversation with Muttaqi have not been disclosed.
Sinirlioglu’s Kabul visit precedes a UN-convened meeting on Afghanistan scheduled in less than two weeks.
