Spanish Foreign Minister Rules Out Recognition Of Taliban
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Friday, 12 December, that his country will not recognise the Taliban, stressing that the group’s government is not legitimate.
Speaking at a gathering of Afghan activists in Madrid, Albares said Spain remains firmly committed to the rights of Afghan women and that genuine peace cannot be achieved without their participation.
The third special conference on Afghan women, titled “Hear Us,” opened on Friday in Madrid. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, along with several human rights activists, is among the speakers.
In his opening remarks, Albares said any future based on progress requires the inclusion of women and reaffirmed Madrid’s support for the rights of Afghan women.
He described the past four years in Afghanistan as devastating for women and warned that failure in their struggle would weaken equality not only in Afghanistan but beyond its borders.
Albares also said the Taliban’s actions in Afghanistan would be reviewed and that the group must be held accountable.
The conference’s first session was held on Thursday. Two previous rounds of the meeting were organised in Spain and Albania, focusing on supporting the struggle of Afghan women.
