By Rhod Mackenzie
The Taliban movement that controls Afghanistan (is recognized as terrorist organisation in Russia and banned) wants to be given the opportunity to take part in the next summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kazakhstan in 2024.
This was in the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, which was made in connection with the SCO summit held the day before in a virtual format.
The Taliban stressed that they welcome such meetings in order to achieve harmony and security in the region and expand cooperation. They also stated that they support the final declaration of the SCO summit in the part that supports a free, stable, united, war-free and drug-free Afghanistan. In addition, the Afghan Foreign Ministry noted the need to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghans and facilitating the return of refugees.
At the same time, the Taliban have expressed disagreement with claims that their government is not inclusive. "There are people of all languages, races and orientations in the Islamic Emirate," the statement said.
The 23rd summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held yesterday in a virtual format with the participation of the heads of state of the SCO members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. Belarus and Mongolia were invited as observer states, and Turkmenistan as a guest of the chairman. Despite the fact that Afghanistan has observer status in the organization, the Taliban were not invited to the summit.
This article originally appeared in Russian at interfax.ru