Taliban FM Urges Diplomacy-Driven, Cooperative Ties With Neighbours

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday called for expanding political and economic cooperation with Kazakhstan during a meetingwith Yerkin Tukumov, Kazakhstan’s special representative for Afghanistan.
Muttaqi said the Taliban seek “positive relations based on diplomacy and understanding” with neighbouring and regional countries, according to a statement issued by the Taliban Foreign Ministry. He also welcomed what he described as a significant expansion of political and economic ties with Kazakhstan.
The Taliban said Tukumov underscored the importance of continued cooperation with the authorities in Kabul across various sectors. He reportedly told Muttaqi that regional stability is a shared responsibility and can be achieved through trust-building, improved security and economic collaboration.
Kazakhstan has not recognised the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan, but in recent years has maintained limited and conditional engagement. In June 2024, it removed the Taliban from its national list of terrorist organisations. Several months earlier, Kazakhstan accepted a Taliban-appointed diplomat as Afghanistan’s consul general in Astana.
