US Secy Of State Antony Blinken Sees 'Global Unity' On Taliban After Talks With Pak, China
“I met with Pakistani Foreign Minister @SMQureshiPTI about our bilateral cooperation and Afghanistan’s future,” he tweeted.
New York: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who met with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi and held talks with ministers’ of the four other veto-wielding Security Council members, has said he believed the world was united on pressing the Taliban, adding “there is very strong unity of approach and unity of purpose”.
Blinken met with Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
“I met with Pakistani Foreign Minister about our bilateral cooperation and Afghanistan’s future,” he tweeted.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US Secretary of State held talks with ministers of the four other veto-wielding Security Council members, including China and Russia.
Stating the Taliban says that it seeks “legitimacy and “support” from the international community, Blinken said: “The relationship that it has with the international community is going to be defined by the actions it takes.”
The US Secretary of State also reiterated for the Taliban his country’s priorities, including allowing the Afghans and foreigners to leave, respecting the rights of women, girls and minorities and not letting Afghanistan be used again by extremists such as Al Qaeda.
He highlighted “the importance of coordinating our diplomatic engagement” in talks with his Pakistani counterpart, the State Department said.
Opening his meeting with the US Secretary of State, Qureshi said “we have to find a way of collectively working to achieve our common objective, which is peace and stability”, Dawn reported.
Islamabad has called for engagement with the Taliban and the unfreezing of Afghan assets.
The Pakistan Foreign Minister, however, earlier this week said that there was no rush to recognise a new Taliban government, a step opposed by the western countries.
ALSO READ: Afghanistan: 'Non-Inclusive' Taliban Govt Could Face New Political Opposition
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in mid-August.
This came after US President Joe Biden withdrew his country’s troops while categorically stating “it’s time to end America’s longest war”.
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