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International community should not try to remove IEA, says Karzai
The international community should not seek the forced removal from power of Afghanistan's interim Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government but rather encourage inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue to bring about improvements to their policies, former president Hamid Karzai said.
But Karzai, who served as the country's first democratically-elected leader from 2002 to 2014, told Kyodo News in a rare interview with foreign media that the IEA must resume girls' education immediately, saying it could be a step toward it becoming the "legitimate" and "recognized" government.
The IEA has not been recognized internationally by any country, due to certain policies including the ban on girls and women’s education.
Karzai stressed, however, that forced removal of the IEA from power is not the way forward.
"We don't want conflict in this country anymore. Conflict will make things even worse than they are today," Karzai said in the interview, conducted at his residence in central Kabul.
"We don't want a collapse of the regime or split of the regime. We have had enough of that in Afghanistan. We want improvements in policy. We want all Afghans getting together to build the future."
While insisting that women and girls be allowed to return to school "immediately," the former leader wants intra-Afghan talks involving all ethnic groups to commence "as soon as possible." He stopped short of elaborating on a specific timeline for the negotiations.
Karzai said that even though the IEA understands the necessity of talks, it will take time and preparation before the process can begin.
UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Roza Otunbayeva, is expected to brief the UN Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan on Wednesday after UNAMA released its quarterly report Tuesday.
Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, will preside over the meeting.
UNAMA’s latest report, which includes information gathered after the last report dated June 13, states that security incidents have increased against the same period last year; restrictions on women have increased, and almost more than 24 million people still need humanitarian aid.
The Islamic Emirate, meanwhile, expects that the reality of Afghanistan should be reflected in Otunbayeva’s report.
IEA has already asked UNAMA many times to reflect on the realities of Afghanistan in its reports and to refrain from exaggerating small issues.
Otunbayeva stated in her last report that by August 30 of this year, only 24.9 percent of the $2.9 billion dollars required for aid to Afghanistan had been provided.
Acting Minister of Interior Affairs Sirajuddin Haqqani met on Tuesday with the Japanese Ambassador to Kabul,Takayoshi Kuromiya, the ministry said in a statement.
Abdul Matin Qane, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said in a post on X that apart from expressing satisfaction over the improved security situation, they discussed boosting Japan's aid to Afghanistan.
They also discussed a working group with UNAMA to tackle issues related to narcotics.
A spokesman for Afghanistan’s foreign affairs said Tuesday Islamic Emirate diplomats have been posted to Oman to reopen the Afghanistan embassy.
Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal said in a post on X the embassy in Muscat opened last Sunday.
Takal added that resuming the activities of the Afghan embassy with the cooperation of the host country will play a constructive role in strengthening political, economic, social and religious relations between Kabul and Muscat.
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