'Seeking a way forward': British diplomat meets Taliban officials in Afghanistan

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - The UK's top diplomat to Afghanistan on Thursday said that he met the Taliban officials in the capital Kabul and discussed various issues, including the rights of women and girls.

Robert C Dickson, charge d’affaires of the UK Mission in Afghanistan, said he visited Afghanistan's capital city and met with acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other senior officials.

“I had a wide range of candid discussions with the Taliban leadership. They told me they had made progress with counter-narcotics, improving security, and reducing corruption. I made clear our deep concern about edicts that erode the rights of women and girls," Dickson said in a series of tweets on Thursday.

This was his first visit to Kabul after being appointed as charge d’affaires of the UK Mission in Afghanistan last month.

The British diplomat said he assured the Taliban leadership that his country will support a positive future for all Afghans, including women and girls.

Calling his visit to Kabul "seeking a way forward," he said Afghanistan continues to experience one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, reflecting half a century of conflict and a drought worsened by climate change.

"Over 28 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance and the economic situation looks bleak. The support for Afghanistan totals over $650m in humanitarian assistance since August 2021," he said.

Last time, Sir Simon Gass, the British prime minister’s high representative for Afghan transition, and Martin Longden, charge d’affaires of the UK Mission in Afghanistan, visited Kabul and met the Taliban leaders in October 2021.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021, followed by the disruption of international financial assistance, and a humanitarian crisis.

Deprived of many rights, including education, women and girls disappeared from public life under the Taliban.

Thousands of women have since lost their jobs or were forced to resign from government institutions and the private sector.

However, Dickson said they will continue to press for Afghan women and girls to be able to reach their full potential, and work with everyone, including the Taliban, to help deliver a secure and prosperous Afghanistan.

The UK has no diplomatic presence in Afghanistan and its embassy operates from Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador Takashi Okada also met with Muttaqi and praised the overall security in Afghanistan while calling it "unprecedented" in comparison with the last 40 years, according to Afghan Foreign Ministry.

"Japan is looking into broadening engagement and cooperation with Afghanistan in narcotics, education, climate change, water management, heritage sites, health, and other areas," Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad quoted the Japanese ambassador as saying.

In response, Muttaqi said that the world should not ignore their achievements made in security, narcotics ban, education, addicts rehabilitation, health services, and other areas.