The United States will keep a “close eye” on every step taken by the Taliban government and create pressure on them through “many tools” available to the country, said US State Department spokesperson Zed Tarar.
In an exclusive interview, Tarar told News18 from London that the United States has certain political and financial tools through which it will keep pressurising the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
On the induction of many Taliban Leaders with history of direct association with terror groups – including members of the deadly Haqqani Network – in Afghanistan’s new ‘caretaker’ government, he said it was a matter of concern because “the world knows who those people are and what kind of activities they propagated in the past”.
According to Tarar, for the US, there are three things which need to be seriously looked into.
“Firstly, those people who want to leave the country, they should be allowed to do so. Secondly, whether the Taliban government will fulfill the promise of not allowing any terrorist activities on its soil or not. And third, that humanitarian assistance should reach to the people without any hindrance,” he said.
Tarar said the United Nations will take up the issue of giving out humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan on Monday, along with chalking out a modality for the action.
Two Roads for Biden
US President Joe Biden had two ways in front of him, Tarar said. “First was to keep the war on with Taliban and second was to bring a logical conclusion to the agreement that was inked between US government and Taliban during Trump’s regime,” he said, adding that Biden took the second path of ending the war as he believed this was “the right thing to do”.
“Biden is the fourth president who got the war in Afghanistan as a continuing legacy. And he did not want to pass it to the fifth president. President Biden always believed that right step was to call back the US armed forces, by ending the 20-year-long war,” Tarar said.
Inclusive Govt
According to Tarar, America hopes there should be a government in Afghanistan, which guarantees equal right to its citizens. “There should be a government which protects human rights and respects and protects the right of women. And US is looking closely whether the new government in Afghanistan follows this path or not,” he said.
Referring to the resolution passed by United Nations Security Council under the presidency of India, he said the resolution clearly entails what the international community wants from the Taliban. The State Department spokesperson said as the new government has taken charge, US is keeping a close eye as to how it treats its women and in Doha US team is ‘engaging’ with representatives of the new government.
However, he said whether the US would have bilateral talks with the present Afghan government and give legitimately to it, will be given due thoughts at a later stage.
On retreating American soldiers from Afghanistan, he said whenever soldiers are called from the battlefield, not everything takes place as planned. He said even Pakistan is saying that there should be a government in Afghanistan which guarantees basic human rights.
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