United Nations Will Not Consult on Recognition of Taliban, Says UN Spokesperson

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson of the United Nations Secretary-General, said that the UN will not consult regarding the recognition of the Taliban. He said that only the member states of the United Nations can decide on the issue of recognition of the Taliban.

However, earlier Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, said on Monday at Princeton University that the steps that lead to the recognition of the Taliban will be discussed in the meeting of the UN Secretary-General with the special representatives of various countries for Afghanistan.

However, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson tried to correct the statements of Mohammed about the recognition of the Taliban. Dujarric said that the United Nations does not have the authority to recognise the Taliban. He described Amina Mohammed as someone who has been on the front lines of fighting for the inalienable rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Dujarric also did not clarify whether the issue of the recognition of the Taliban will be raised in the meeting of the UN Secretary-General with envoys of various countries in Doha. He too did not deny or confirm the possibility of the presence of a Taliban representative in the UN meeting.

Dujarric stated that the UN meeting in Doha will be held on May 1 and 2, but will be held behind closed doors.

He stressed that the UN Secretary-General believes that it’s an urgent priority to advance an approach based on pragmatism and principles, combined with strategic patience, and to identify parameters for creative, flexible, principled, and constructive engagement with the Taliban.