A diplomatic source said to Afghanistan International that after the disclosure of the agenda of the Doha meeting by a senior UN official, discussions regarding the Taliban recognition at the meeting had to be removed.
The source added that if the agenda had not been disclosed, the Taliban’s recognition would have been the focus of the Doha meeting.
The source who spoke to Maryam Rahmati, Afghanistan International’s correspondent in Doha on the condition of anonymity, said that a contact group with the Taliban was supposed to be formed at the Doha meeting, which could explain the conditions of the international community for recognition of the group to the Taliban officials.
Earlier, Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, at Princeton University, revealed the convening of the Doha meeting and said that discussions about the recognition of the Taliban are on the agenda of the meeting.
Mohammed had said, “We hope that we'll find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition [of the Taliban], a principled recognition. Is it possible? I don't know. [But] that discussion has to happen. The Taliban clearly want recognition, and that's the leverage we have."
These remarks of the UN deputy secretary general have been met with widespread reactions from Afghans inside and abroad the country. In the latest move, Afghans held demonstrations in Kabul and Takhar and fifteen other cities around the world urging the UN to refrain from any action that would lead to the recognition of the Taliban.
Even, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission asked Mohammed to apologise to the people of Afghanistan, especially women, for her recent statements regarding the recognition of the Taliban.
This is while, the second day of the Doha meeting, between UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and representatives of 20 started on Tuesday.
The correspondent of Afghanistan International in Doha said that the second day of the meeting has been also held behind closed doors and did not provide access to the media.
The UN-hosted meeting has been held at the "Sharq" hotel in Doha city.
A diplomatic source in Qatar said on Monday, on the first day of the Doha meeting, that the Doha meeting "is the beginning of the process of recognising the Taliban”.
