KABUL: The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), Amir Khan Muttaqi said that the U.S. imposed sanctions on Afghanistan have created challenges and hindered the services and activities of the Islamic Emirate, a statement from the ministry said the other day.
Muttaqi, while speaking at the Tashkent International Conference held on the Afghanistan situation, called the decades-long war and the U.S. sanctions as the main reasons for the poverty in Afghanistan.
“The 20-year war affected our country and our economic system is under the U.S. economic sanctions. Poverty is one of the main problems in our country. This action has not only prevented the transaction of money but also diminished the activities of our government which benefits only the people,” the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
He added that the Islamic Emirate is ready to engage with the world based on mutual respect, he said warning that a destabilized Afghanistan was harmful for everyone.
The IEA Foreign Minister called on the U.S. to release Afghanistan’s Central Bank assets without any conditions and lift economic sanctions on Afghanistan. “This is the main step for normalization of the relations between the two sides and this will have a positive impact on the minds of the Afghans toward the U.S.,” Muttaqi assured.
A senior member of the Islamic Emirate, Anas Haqqani, who is also part of the delegation, said that the international community sees the need for engagement with Afghanistan.
“The world sees engagement with Afghanistan as a necessity. So far, many sides said positive things and we hope to hear good speeches and see good developments. The regional countries, including China, Russia and some other countries, have raised their voices to defend Afghanistan and have called for the release of Afghan assets,” he said.
Also, speaking at the conference, the Deputy National Security Adviser of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov, stressed the need for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
“The formation of an inclusive government means inclusion of all tribes in Afghanistan particularly women. This can help in the betterment of the current situation. We should cooperate with each other in countering the terrorism in Afghanistan,” he said.
The European Union’s envoy for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson tweeted that at the Tashkent conference he “underlined the serious human rights situation as reported by UNAMA, including the rights of women and girls, ethnic and sectarian groups – notably Hazaras and Shias – and media freedom.” However the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly said it has ensured all human rights and respect the rights of all sects and tribes in the country.
The Kabul Times
U.S. sanctions deterring public services in Afghanistan: FM Muttaqi
