Karen Decker, Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul, was introduced as the person responsible for advancing the country's foreign policy for Afghanistan. Decker explained her priorities during a meeting with Afghan media editors on Thursday, October 3.
Decker said that the US policy toward Afghanistan will not change with the departure of Special Representative Tom West.
Tom West, the US special representative for Afghanistan, stepped down this week after three years. The US State Department has announced that West will continue to work on the State Department's sanctions department.
"I have been asked to take on the responsibilities of the US special envoy for Afghanistan," Decker told reporters at Thursday's meeting.
In response to a question from Afghanistan International, Decker explained her priorities, "The future of Afghanistan should be determined by the Afghans themselves and through a process in their hands."
"It is my great responsibility to be the voice of Afghans who have been deprived of their right to expression," the US diplomat added.
She also said that the United States will continue to engage with the Taliban administration in a practical and principled manner.
She praised the three-year mission of Tom West, adding that addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has been one of West's achievements.
Decker added that since the fall of the previous Afghan government, the United States has provided $2.3 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
In another part of her speech, Decker told Afghanistan International that Washington will not participate in next week's Moscow meeting. She said that there are many regional meetings on Afghanistan that the United States does not have to participate in all of them, but she will follow these talks.
