RASC News Agency: Informed sources indicate that Western countries have formally protested the United Nations’ agenda for the third Doha meeting on Afghanistan. With one week remaining before the third Doha meeting on Afghanistan, sources reveal that Western nations have officially objected to the UN agenda due to the exclusion of women and human rights issues.
Representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, known collectively as the G7, sent a letter to the United Nations on June 14, expressing their concerns over the UN’s agenda for the third Doha meeting. They criticized the absence of a dedicated session on human rights or a meeting with Afghanistan civil society.
The G7’s criticisms and concerns regarding the UN’s handling of the third Doha meeting include the Taliban setting the terms of the meeting, the agenda granting full authority to the Taliban, the exclusion of Afghanistani women from discussions, the invitation to the Taliban being seen as a significant international privilege, and the legitimization of Western representatives’ presence at the meeting both domestically and among Afghanistan expatriates. The G7 countries have threatened to boycott the third Doha meeting if their concerns are not addressed.
The United Nations had presumed that the participation of the Taliban was a priority for Western countries, but these objections have taken the organization by surprise. The G7 nations have called for the inclusion of non-Taliban actors to represent Afghanistan civil society, stating, “They too must feel a sense of legitimacy and value.” The letter also noted, “If the Taliban refuse to participate, that is their right.”
It is noteworthy that the Taliban have not yet decided who will lead their delegation at the meeting, awaiting confirmation of whether all representatives will attend. The United Nations is attempting to invite 6 to 8 civil society members on July 2, a day after the special representatives’ meeting with the Taliban; however, this plan has not been finalized.
The third Doha meeting on Afghanistan, hosted by Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General, is scheduled for June 30 and July 1.
