KABUL (Pajhwok): The European Union (EU), Germany and China criticized the composition of the Taliban’s caretaker cabinet, with Japan and Qatar saying they would monitor the performance of the Taliban while Uzbekistan termed the cabinet a beginning for a durable peace in Afghanistan.
Taliban took control of capital Kabul on August 15 and they are now in full control of the whole country.
The Taliban had said that they would form an inclusive government which would be acceptable to all Afghans and the international community. However, the group on Tuesday announced a temporary cabinet to fill the governance vacuum.
Mullah Hassan Akhundhas has been appointed as caretaker prime minister and SirajuddinHaqqani as new interior minister.
According to <a href="https://bit.ly/3l4P4Rb">reports</a>, German foreign minister, Heiko Maas expressed concern over the Taliban’s caretaker cabinet and said that there was no anything for optimism.
Maas said: “The announcement of an interim government without the participation of other groups and yesterday’s violence against female demonstrators and journalists in Kabul are not signals that make us optimistic about that.”
China, on the other hand, said that it was a needed step for the Taliban to announce the new government to fill the governance vacuum, bring order and pave way for reconstruction in Afghanistan.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbinsaid, “We are hopeful new Afghan officials would listen to the voice of all classes of people so they would fulfill the wishes of their people and demands of the international community.”
Japan said that it would monitor the Taliban’s performance and would continue its efforts on the regard with the US and other countries.
Qatar said that Taliban’s new administration was based on consultations and they should be judged based on their performance.
Lolwah Rashid Mohammed Al-Khater, spokesperson of Qatari foreign ministry said, “They (Taliban) used consultations. This opportunity should be used… and their apparent deeds should be paid attention.”
“Taliban are now the leaders of Afghanistan”, she said but did not provide a clear answer whether Qatar will recognize the Taliban’s government or not.
On the other hand, <a href="https://bit.ly/3laFTi2">Uzbekistan</a> welcomed the new interim government announced by the Taliban.
A statement from Uzbekistan’s foreign ministry hoped that the new Afghan government would usher into a beginning for a durable peace and stability in the country.
The EU said that absence of other groups in the new Afghan government proved the Taliban’s failure.
"It does not look like the inclusive and representative formation of Afghanistan's rich ethnic and religious diversity that we had hoped to see and that the Taliban promised in recent weeks," an EU spokesman said in a statement.
This comes as US and Turkey on Wednesday about the Taliban’s cabinet said that they would monitor the process.
Mds/ma
