Taliban nominated their Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghan UN ambassador
United Nations:
The Taliban have requested to handle world leaders on the United Nations in New York this week and nominated their Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan’s UN ambassador, in response to a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday.
Taliban International Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi made the request in a letter to U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres on Monday. Muttaqi requested to talk throughout the annual high-level assembly of the Basic Meeting, which finishes on Monday.
Guterres’ spokesperson, Farhan Haq, confirmed Muttaqi’s letter. The transfer units up a showdown with Ghulam Isaczai, the U.N. ambassador in New York representing Afghanistan’s authorities ousted final month by the Taliban.
Haq mentioned the rival requests for Afghanistan’s U.N. seat had been despatched to a nine-member credentials committee, whose members embody the US, China and Russia. The committee is unlikely to satisfy on the problem earlier than Monday, so it’s uncertain that the Taliban overseas minister will handle the world physique.
Eventual U.N. acceptance of the ambassador of the Taliban can be an vital step within the hardline group’s bid for worldwide recognition, which might assist unlock badly wanted funds for the cash-strapped Afghan economic system.
Guterres has mentioned that the Taliban’s need for worldwide recognition is the one leverage different international locations need to press for inclusive authorities and respect for rights, notably for girls, in Afghanistan.
The Taliban letter mentioned Isaczai’s mission “is taken into account over and that he not represents Afghanistan,” mentioned Haq.
Till a choice is made by the credentials committee Isaczai will stay within the seat, in response to the Basic Meeting guidelines. He’s at present scheduled to handle the ultimate day of the assembly on Sept. 27, but it surely was not instantly clear if any international locations would possibly object within the wake of the Taliban letter.
The committee historically meets in October or November to evaluate the credentials of all U.N. members earlier than submitting a report for Basic Meeting approval earlier than the tip of the yr. The committee and Basic Meeting normally function by consensus on credentials, diplomats mentioned.
Others members of the committee are the Bahamas, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Sweden.
When the Taliban final dominated between 1996 and 2001 the ambassador of the Afghan authorities they toppled remained the U.N. consultant after the credentials committee deferred its determination on rival claims to the seat.
The choice was postponed “on the understanding that the present representatives of Afghanistan accredited to the United Nations would proceed to take part within the work of the Basic Meeting,” in response to the committee report.
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