ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbpours have pushed the Taliban government there to ensure women’s rights and children’s education, a joint declaration at the end of a three-day meeting said on Thursday.
China this week hosted a meeting of foreign ministers from Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Tunxi. Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also attended the moot.
“[The meeting], noted the importance of taking necessary continuing steps in Afghanistan on ensuring women’s rights and children’s education, among others, and called for further actions to be taken to improve people’s livelihood, safeguard the fundamental rights of all Afghans, including ethnic groups, women and children,” a joint declaration released at the end of the conference read.
The statement comes a week after the Taliban government backtracked on a decision to reopen schools to girls beyond the sixth grade. The announcement has sparked international outrage, with the World Bank putting four projects in Afghanistan worth $600 million on hold. US officials last week cancelled planned meetings in Doha with the Taliban over the decision to keep girls out of secondary school.
The Taliban have unraveled gains in rights made by women during the last two decades, including restricting them from working and limiting their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative.
Taliban leaders say all girls would be allowed to return to classrooms later this month.
The regional neighbours' declaration also called for Afghan authorities "to safeguard the security and legitimate rights and interests of foreign citizens and institutions in Afghanistan."
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was leading the Pakistani delegation in China, also held a bilateral meeting with Muttaqi and discussed steps to preserve rights.
“The Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of responding to the international community’s expectations for inclusivity, respect for human rights of all Afghans, girls’ education, and action against terrorist groups,” Pakistan’s foreign minister said in a statement.
Foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbors also noted the commitments made by the Taliban to the international community that the country would not pose a threat to neighboring countries and militant groups would not be allowed to find safe havens on Afghan territory.
“Stressed terrorism as a key factor affecting stability in Afghanistan, condemned all forms of violence and terrorist attacks, and reiterated that ISIS, Al-Qaeda, ETIM, TTP, BLA, Jondollah, Jaish-Al-Adl, Jamaat Ansarullah, IMU and other terrorist organizations must not be given any place on the Afghan territory,” the joint declarations said.
In a bilateral meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Qureshi said Pakistan was ready to mediate the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Good to meet FM #SergeyLavrov to discuss important regional & bilateral ties. Shared our hope for talks between representatives of the Russian Federation & Ukraine to succeed for a diplomatic solution. We stand ready to help facilitate a peaceful solution,” Qureshi said in a tweet on Thursday.