Kabul
The Taliban government on Sunday said that the seat of Afghanistan at the United Nations (UN) is the right of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as per the rules of the global body itself.
“The permanent representative [at UN] should be a person accredited by government actually in power,” Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen wrote on his Twitter handle who is also the nominee of the new interim setup as UN ambassador for Afghanistan.
The United Nations is considering rival claims on who should represent Afghanistan. Ghulam Isaczai, the UN envoy representing the government ousted by the Taliban, is seeking to remain in the country’s seat.
A nine-member UN credentials committee – which includes Russia, China and the United States – is due to consider the rival Afghan claims next month and decision will likely be made before the end of the year.
“IEA has sovereignty, control over all borders and has support of the people. These are key for recognition of a government— which the IEA enjoys,” Suhail said.
The statement comes two days after Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that no one is in a hurry to recognise the Taliban as Afghanistan’s government, signalling that Moscow is not ready to allow the militants to represent Afghanistan at the UN.—Agencies
