Uzbekistan accepts ambassador from Taliban-led Afghanistan

Islamabad, Pakistan — 

Afghanistan’s Taliban said Thursday that Uzbekistan had accepted their appointed ambassador, and some sides marked the enactment arsenic an important advancement successful strengthening diplomatic ties betwixt the neighboring countries.

The enactment is seen arsenic a uncommon diplomatic accomplishment for the internationally isolated Taliban leaders since they regained power of the state 3 years ago.

Until now, China and the United Arab Emirates were the lone 2 countries that had formally accredited a Taliban-appointed ambassador since Afghan insurgents regained powerfulness successful Kabul.

None of the 3 nations has recognized the Taliban arsenic the authoritative authorities of Afghanistan, and neither has the remainder of the world, citing concerns astir inclusivity, terrorism, and restrictions connected women's entree to acquisition and work.

The Taliban's overseas ministry identified its diplomat to Tashkent arsenic Sheikh Abdul Ghafar Bahr, saying helium formally presented a transcript of his credentials to Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov connected Wednesday.

"Bahr described the upgradation of bilateral relations arsenic a pivotal phase, hoping for further progress,” the Taliban quoted their ambassador arsenic saying astatine Wednesday’s ceremonial to invited him successful the Uzbek capital.

The connection quoted Saidov arsenic noting that “both countries bask shared interests and person achieved important economical maturation implicit the past 3 years.” The Taliban said that Bahr “is expected to contiguous his archetypal missive of credence” to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

“Our countries stock a communal past and interests of prosperity that service arsenic an impetus for the improvement of practice ties successful each areas,” Saidov said connected his societal media level X, formerly known arsenic Twitter, aft Wednesday’s ceremony. "We besides discussed the acute topics connected bilateral, regional, and planetary agendas,” the Uzbek overseas curate wrote.

The Taliban separately stated Thursday that their Ministry of Mines and Petroleum had signed a 10-year declaration with an Uzbek institution for the exploration and extraction of state successful Afghanistan.

The announcement said the statement requires the Uzbek institution to put $100 cardinal successful the archetypal twelvemonth and $1 cardinal implicit the adjacent 10 years. The concern volition people the state reserves of the Totimaidan tract successful the bluish Afghan state of Faryab, which spans an country of astir 7,000 quadrate kilometers.

Russia reported past week that a "principal decision" had already been made to region the Taliban from its database of transnational violent organizations, saying applicable Russian agencies were “putting finishing touches” connected the delisting successful enactment with national law.

U.S.-led Western countries person been pressing the Taliban to reverse restrictions connected women’s freedoms and their close to acquisition arsenic good arsenic employment earlier they could see engaging diplomatically with Kabul. Washington besides wants the de facto Afghan rulers to code determination and planetary coercion concerns.

“We person not changed our designation of the Taliban arsenic a specially designated planetary violent organization, and we proceed to marque wide that immoderate important steps towards normalization of relations is contingent upon a profound displacement successful the Taliban’s quality rights conduct,” Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesperson said connected Tuesday.

“We proceed to enactment with our allies and partners to property the Taliban to reverse their discriminatory edicts, and we marque definite that immoderate important steps toward normalization of relations are contingent upon profound improvements successful their attraction of women and girls, including but not constricted to allowing women and girls backmost successful schoolhouse and lifting the restrictions connected women’s employment,” Miller explained.

Taliban leaders support their governance, arguing that it is successful enactment with their mentation of the Islamic instrumentality of Sharia. They besides rejected disapproval of their curbs connected Afghan women’s entree to education, employment, and nationalist beingness astatine large.

Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's lawman premier curate for governmental affairs, reportedly said Thursday that their authorities aims to support affirmative relations with each countries. However, helium emphasized that “they volition not sacrifice Islamic principles oregon values to delight others.”

Kabir asserted successful his remarks that the Taliban are presently successful power of “40 diplomatic missions successful antithetic countries and engagement with the satellite is moving successful a affirmative direction."