Taliban to form broad-based govt, hopes Blinken

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United States says channels of communication with the Taliban will remain open on important issues.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists on Friday he would visit Qatar on Sunday for meetings on matters of common interest.

Al-Jazeera quoted the secretary of state as saying he would travel to Germany where he will hold a virtual ministerial meeting with more than 20 countries.

Just like the global fraternity, Blinken said, the US expected the Taliban to form an inclusive government with representations from different communities.

“As we’ve said and as countries around the world have said, there is an expectation that any government that emerges now will have some real inclusivity …” he added.

He remarked” “We will see what, in fact, emerges, but I have to tell you that as important as what the government looks like is, more important still is what any government does.”

Blinken said the US would be looking at the actions and policies the new Afghan government would pursue.

The new Afghan government would not allowing the use of Afghanistan’s soil as a launching ground for terrorism directed at the US or any of its allies, he believed.

Blinken expected the Taliban to uphold the basic rights of the Afghan people, including women and minorities, and not to engage in reprisals.

PAN Monitor/mud

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