RASC News Agency: The Taliban group recently declared the appointment of such a representative as “unnecessary,” contending that Afghanistan is not a conflict zone and is governed by a system capable of safeguarding national interests. Afghanistani Taliban officials criticized the United Nations Security Council’s proposition for a special envoy to promote and uphold human rights in the country on Saturday, December 30, dismissing it as an “unnecessary” initiative.
The Taliban group remains unrecognized by any country or international organization officially, with the United Nations designating them as the “real authorities of the Taliban” as an entity. Efforts to engage with the Taliban, with the aim of mitigating their control over women and girls or suspending such control until concessions like reopening educational opportunities for women are secured, have encountered challenges. On Friday, the UN Security Council endorsed a resolution advocating for the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan to bolster engagement with the country and the Taliban authorities.
Nevertheless, Abdulqahar Balkhi, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asserted that the new envoy is “unnecessary,” emphasizing that Afghanistan is not a conflict zone and is managed by a system capable of securing its national interests. He conveyed in a social media message that the Taliban welcomes “stronger and enhanced interaction” with the United Nations but highlighted that special envoys have complicated the situation by imposing foreign solutions.
Continuing his message, he stated, “The approach of the Taliban in Afghanistan will ultimately be guided by religious beliefs, cultural values, and the national interests of the Afghanistani people.” Since the Taliban’s resurgence to power in August 2021, the new authorities in Kabul have vehemently asserted their right to enforce stringent social controls based on their conservative interpretation of Islam.
