Qatar’s foreign minister visits Islamic Emirate’s premier in Kabul

Qatar’s foreign minister held talks with the prime minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on Sunday, in the highest-level foreign visit to Kabul since the Islamic Emirate took control last month.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani called on the country’s new rulers to “involve all Afghan parties in national reconciliation” when he met Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hasan Akhund, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

Qatar is considered one of the countries with the most influence over the Islamic Emirate and played a pivotal role in the massive U.S.-led airlift of its own citizens, other Western nationals and Afghans who helped Western countries.

The Qatari capital Doha also hosted the Islamic Emirate’s political office, which oversaw the negotiations with the United States that eventually led to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Sheikh Mohammed and new premier Akhund also discussed “concerted efforts to combat terrorist organizations that threaten the stability of Afghanistan”, ways to enhance peace in the country and the safe passage of people, according to the Qatar ministry.

Sheikh Mohammed met the prime minister and a number of other senior ministers, Mohammad Naeem a spokesman of the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said.

The Afghan government said the leadership of the Islamic Emirate thanked the Qatar government for supporting the Afghan people.

“The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stressed in the meeting that the Doha Agreement is a historic achievement of Afghanistan and all parties must remain committed to the agreement,” Naeem said.

“The meeting focused on bilateral relations, humanitarian assistance, economic development and interaction with the world,” Naeem added.

Sunday’s meeting in the ARG was attended by a number of other Afghan ministers including Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi, acting foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq.

According to acting foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Islamic Emirate thanked Qatar for its cooperation in resuming operations at Kabul Airport.

According to the report Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed also met Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the previous Afghan government, and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the foreign ministry said.