Doha, 04 May 2023 (QT)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

THE United Nations two-day meeting on Afghanistan was a very important way for the international community to address the Afghanistan issue and China supports all the United Nations initiatives to restore stability in the country, said China’s Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs, Yue Xiaoyong.

Talking to Qatar Tribune  the second day of the UN Conference on Afghanistan, Xiaoyong said the conference was the first meeting of its kind since the previous government in Afghanistan collapsed and the Taliban took over Kabul on August 15, 2021.

He said there were no high expectations from this meeting and it was not a decision making gathering, but a sort of informal discussion between key players to exchange views to see what best approach can be taken for better handling of Afghanistan issues.

Xiaoyong said China attaches importance to the role being played by the United Nations towards solving regional and international issues and supports the initiatives. “However, to make meetings on Afghanistan useful, we look forward to having the next meetings where Taliban will participate. We raised this point during a two-day conference and advocate for their participation.

It was a pity that we were discussing issues of a sovereign country and there was no representation of that country,” he said. “It is important to keep dialogue with them, communicate with them, engage them so that Taliban and the participants may know each other’s concerns and views.”

He said those forces which occupied for long 20 years Afghanistan have much more responsibility to come forward and help in Afghanistan’s economic viability and development, stressing that China is concerned, being a neighbouring country and among the five global powers, about security issues in Afghanistan as well as of the region.

“We understand that there are multiple issues, including terror threats, poverty, women’s fundamental rights, regional security, urgent management crisis and policy issues, how to have sustainable stability in the country, to have a moderate and appropriate policy to avoid extremism. China will play its part of responsibility along with neighbouring and regional countries,” Xiaoyong added.

He pointed out that many participants in the conference also raised their concerns towards the Afghan crisis and suggested worthwhile efforts to help Afghanistan in areas of humanitarian, development, trade and investment which can solve many other issues in a much better way, adding that China emphasises addressing the roots causes of terrorist threats.

Two-day UN Conference On Afghanistan held on May 01-02, 2023 in Qatar was concluded without any result with announcement by the UN General Secretary Antonio Guteress that meeting on Afghanistan will continue at later stage.

He also said that he will like to meet the Talibans at an appropriate time. It is to note that Talibans were not invited in the 2-day conference concluded on Tuesday. A number of the participating delegates raised their observations why Talibans were not present.