Taliban sets six conditions for attending third UN-Hosted Doha Talks

Sources reveal that Taliban officials have set six conditions for participating in the third Doha meeting during their talks with UN and Qatari delegations in Kabul.

The sources said that the first condition for the Taliban’s participation is to be given Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations.

The second condition for participation is for the UN to withdraw the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan.

The appointment of a UN special envoy was a key topic of discussion during the second Doha meeting on Afghanistan, held on February 18-19, 2024. UN Secretary-General António Guterres chaired the event.

The Taliban boycotted after their demands, including sole representation of Afghanistan and no criticism of their governance, were unmet. Afghan civil society highlighted human rights issues, especially women’s treatment.

According to the Taliban, the third condition for the Taliban’s participation in the upcoming Doha meeting is that the agenda and composition of the third Doha meeting be discussed with the Taliban.

According to the report, the Taliban strongly oppose the participation of Afghan civil society and political representatives in the third Doha meeting. However, the report emphasizes that the Taliban’s condition regarding the UN seat is a tactic, as they know it is unlikely to be granted.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth conditions for the Taliban’s participation are that issues such as girls’ education, women’s employment, and the formation of an inclusive government should not be on the agenda of the third Doha meeting.

The Taliban repeatedly stated that these are internal matters of Afghanistan and that the group is working to create a suitable environment for resolving them.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the group has banned women from attending schools beyond sixth grade and barred women from working with domestic and international organizations.

Meanwhile, Taliban officials said that they would participate in the meeting if the discussions focused on Afghanistan’s security, the eradication of drugs, and the fight against armed groups, especially ISIS.

However, the UN delegation in Kabul told Taliban officials that the third Doha meeting would discuss girls’ education, women’s employment, the formation of an inclusive government, human rights violations in Taliban prisons, the group’s ties with al-Qaeda, and ultimately, the international community’s engagement with the Taliban.

Taliban sources say that the group is still waiting for their conditions to be accepted before deciding whether to participate in the third Doha meeting.

The third Doha meeting, to be hosted by the United Nations, is scheduled for June 30 and July 1, with the attendance of special representatives from various countries for Afghanistan.

The United Nations has stated that this meeting aims to “increase coordinated and orderly international engagement with Afghanistan.”

The second Doha meeting was held on February 18-19, and the Taliban did not participate. It is still unclear whether the group will participate in the third Doha meeting.

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