UPDATE – Qatar calls for dialogue with Taliban

ADDS REMARKS ON IRAN, PALESTINE, SYRIA; REVISES DECK

By Ahmed Yousef

DOHA, Qatar (AA) – Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday urged the international community to continue engagement with the Taliban interim government in Afghanistan.

Addressing the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Tamim also called for separating the provision of humanitarian assistance from the political process in the war-torn nation.

"The international community must provide assistance to Afghanistan, and it is necessary to continue dialogue with the Taliban," he said.

The Qatari ruler said the international community has a responsibility to "work in a systematic and persistent manner to achieve a comprehensive political settlement" in Afghanistan.

Qatar played a significant role in the evacuation of foreigners and Afghans from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul, along with its continued efforts and assistance to help the Afghan people.

This August, the Taliban rapidly took control of Afghanistan during the US troop withdrawal from the country, ending a 20-year military presence.

- Palestine, Iran

Tamim also reiterated “the centrality of the Palestinian issue” and condemned Israeli violations of the Palestinian people.

“This year witnessed numerous Israeli violations in occupied East Jerusalem, repeated attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities, especially al-Haram al-Sharif (Al-Aqsa Mosque) during the holy month of Ramadan, and the seizure of Palestinian homes as part of the policies of Judaization and settlement,” he said.

On the Iranian nuclear issue, the Qatari ruler called for dialogue with Tehran on "the basis of mutual respect" and underlined the importance of "returning to the nuclear agreement with Iran."

On Syria’s civil war, Tamim called for finding a just political solution to the country’s crises.

"A decade has passed since the (start of the) crisis in Syria, which began with a peaceful uprising and turned into a humanitarian catastrophe due to the war that the regime waged on its own people and the armed extremist powers that used the situation,” he said.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​