It is critical that the international community remain united in its approach to Afghanistan, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday.

Price said this after China hosted the meeting of the so-called extended “Troika” that included the United States, China, Russia and Pakistan.

He said that the countries have a good degree of leverage with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

“It is incumbent on all of these countries to use that leverage to push the Taliban (IEA) in the right direction,” Price said.

In a separate statement announcing additional humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, Price said that US continues to “press Taliban (IEA) leadership to abide by its commitments to respect the human rights of all of Afghanistan’s citizens, including the right of Afghan girls to receive an education.”

“The reversal of this commitment by the Taliban, if it is not swiftly corrected, will profoundly harm the Afghan people, the country’s prospects for economic growth, and the Taliban’s ambition to improve their relations with the international community,” Price warned.

IEA had promised to allow all girls to return to classrooms as school year begins in March, but those beyond sixth grade were told to wait until a second notice. In reaction, US cancelled planned talks with IEA in Doha and the World Bank projects in Afghanistan worth $600 million.

Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for IEA, said that IEA is open to negotiating with foreign governments on issues that have external dimension.

“But as a responsible government and as a sovereign nation, we have the right to own our country and have a system that is based on our traditions, culture, national and Islamic values,” Karimi said.