Taliban ask US to unfreeze Afghan assets, lift sanctions

KABUL (Pajhwok): US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and a Taliban delegation have concluded two days of talks on matters of bilateral interest in Doha.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said political, economic, health, education, security, and humanitarian issues came up for discussion.

Balkhi tweeted that the Islamic Emirate delegation, led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, assured the US of maintaining security in Afghanistan.

The Taliban team also called for the unconditional and immediate unfreezing of Afghanistan’s central bank’s assets worth $9.5 billion, the spokesman said.

The Afghan side also urged an end to sanctions and blacklists, saying humanitarian issues and political considerations should be decoupled.

Technical groups from both sides held separate meetings to facilitate progress, he explained. Both sides agreed to continue such meetings in the future.

On his twitter handle, West wrote: “Concluded 2 days of interagency meetings with senior Taliban reps in Doha on enduring interests, including terrorism, safe passage, rights of all Afghans & the safe return of Mark Frerichs. Discussed need to urgently respond to humanitarian crisis & support UN in scaling up.”

He wrote the Taliban were aware that the US was deeply concerned about reports of retaliatory killings and forced disappearances of former Afghan security personnel.

“We have urged the Taliban to ensure their promise of amnesty is upheld throughout their ranks and hold those responsible to account,” the diplomat added.

The US delegation included representatives from USAID, the Departments of State and Treasury as well as the American intelligence community.

A statement from the State Department said: “The US remains committed to ensuring that US sanctions do not limit the ability of Afghan civilians to receive humanitarian support from the US government and international community while denying assets to sanctioned entities and individuals.”

nh/mud

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