The Taliban were regularly meeting with foreign powers in the months before the complete takeover of Afghanistan. They attended peace meetings in Qatar and Russia, and met with the Chinese (left). Reports mention that the Taliban held several secret meetings with US officials during the presidency of Donald Trump.
(Left) Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, center, arrives with other members of the Taliban delegation for an international peace conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 18, 2021. (Right) In Moscow, Russia on July 9.
PAKISTAN
Prime Minister Imran Khan said the Taliban had “broken the chains of mental slavery in Afghanistan.”
CHINA
China is ready to develop “good-neighbourly, friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said. Beijing welcomed the Taliban’s promise “that they will allow no force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts detrimental to China and its expression of hope that China will be more involved in Afghanistan’s peace and reconciliation process and play a bigger role in future reconstruction and economic development.”
RUSSIA
“If we compare the negotiability of the colleagues and the partners, I have long since decided that the Taliban is much more able to reach agreements than the puppet government in Kabul,” Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s presidential envoy to Afghanistan. “Recognition or non-recognition will depend on the conduct of the new authorities.”
IRAN
“America’s military defeat and its withdrawal must become an opportunity to restore life, security and durable peace in Afghanistan,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
QATAR
“There is an international concern about the escalation of events in Afghanistan and we stress the importance of not compromising the security of the Afghani people, and the importance of establishing stability in Afghanistan as soon as possible,” Qatari foreign minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
EUROPEAN UNION
“Afghanistan stands at a crossroad. Security and wellbeing of its citizens, as well as international security, are at play,” said Josep Borrell, vice president of the European Commission.
Dr. Bilal Philips