Taliban's actions, not words to determine future Afghanistan process: Turkish president

By Dilan Pamuk and Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) - The Taliban's actions and not words will determine the future Afghanistan process, the Turkish president said on Wednesday.

Addressing ambassadors at a ceremony marking the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Malazgirt, which marks the beginning of the first Turkish settlements in Anatolia, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish government approaches the messages from Taliban leaders with cautious optimism for now.

Underlining the importance of attaining stability in Afghanistan, Erdogan said Ankara continues to be in “close dialogue” with all parties in the country with this purpose.

He also stressed the importance of forming an all-inclusive government in Afghanistan and said the priority in the war-torn country should be to fill the authority gap to ensure public safety and normalization.

Touching on the urgent needs of Afghans, including food, the Turkish president said that the coronavirus pandemic, drought, and financial problems took a heavy toll on the public.

“The international community must help Afghanistan in this tough time and show solidarity, regardless of who governs the country,” he remarked.

Turkish troops and diplomats have been making extraordinary efforts to ensure order at the airport and maintain evacuation operations, he said.