Help unfreeze DAB assets, Muttaqi urges OIC

KABUL (Pajhwok): Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi has asked the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC to help unfreeze Afghanistan’s assets and lift the travel ban on leaders of the interim government.

He issued the call at the 50th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Cameroon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

A statement from the ministry quoted Muttaqi as saying: “The islands of power in the country have been eliminated and the entire territory of Afghanistan is in the hands of a committed and responsible central government.”

Central bank’s assets worth billions of dollars had been frozen by the United States and unjust economic sanctions imposed on the interim government, he complained.

The current caretaker Afghan government had been denied international recognition, even representation in major global organisations, he explained.

Muttaqi claimed Afghanistan had been the target of an organised propaganda war and the subject of biased and spiteful reports.

The top diplomat urged the largest Islamic bloc and the world to make efforts for the release of Afghanistan’s assets, and removal of economic sanctions as well as the travel ban on IEA leaders.

These sanctions had led to the suspension of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) duties, slowed Afghanistan’s economic growth and regional trade and impeded the establishment of bilateral and multilateral relations, he argued.

The foreign minister invited OIC states and other countries of the world to enter into economic and commercial partnerships on the basis of legitimate common interests.

He said: “As a country emerging from decades of war, Afghanistan has sincere determination to forget bitter past experiences and to build new relations with the world on the basis of legitimate mutual interests.

“We are here with a message of peace for both ourselves and the world, and we assure the countries of the region and the world that our land will not be used against anyone.”

Muttaqi added Afghanistan had a positive outlook on all OIC member states and other countries, and called for a positive engagement by all of them with the interim government in Kabul.

The foreign minister also called on the global fraternity, particularly OIC member countries, to find a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue.

kk/mud