According to the leading US media house, the New York Times, Pakistan thinks it’s best that the envoy of the old Afghan government should vacate seat at the United Nations (UN).
Recently, Pakistan’s FM Qureshi gave an interview to the New York Times where he made the alleged statements. The NY Times reported FM Qureshi said that the UN ambassador from Afghanistan’s toppled government had no standing. Its seat at the 193-member organization should remain vacant for now.
The ambassador of the toppled government, Ghulam Isaczai, served as the officially recognized envoy of Afghanistan at the United Nations. However, when the Taliban took over, they formed a new government in Afghanistan. Therefore, technically, a member of the incumbent government should represent Afghanistan at the UN.
Pakistan's foreign minister, in an interview with The New York Times, said he had seen signs of improved stability in Afghanistan under the Taliban, and he urged the toppled government's U.N. envoy to vacate his seat. https://t.co/Kzdb5HQDoU
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) September 24, 2021
Reports stated that the Taliban requested spokesman Suhail Shaheen replace Ghulam Isaczai. However, as for now, the UN chief spokesman confirmed that Ghulam Isaczai is the Afghan representative.
In this regard, FM Qureshi said Mr. Isaczai’s right to represent Afghanistan at the UN was not defensible because his government collapsed and its president, Ashraf Ghani, fled abroad.
Read more: Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan with large stacks of cash
“Who is he speaking for?” Mr. Qureshi asked about Mr. Isaczai. The best short-term solution for Afghanistan’s U.N. seat, Mr. Qureshi said, is to “keep it empty.”
As reported by NY Times, FM Qureshi also dismissed the idea of even talking to Mr. Isaczai. “What good would it do?” he said. “To me, he’s of no use.”
UN denies Taliban representation at the General Assembly
Earlier, representation of Afghanistan at the UN became a challenge. The Taliban maintained that they do not recognize Mr. Isaczai as the ambassador.
They also contacted UN chief Guterres with the letterhead “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” signed by “Ameer Khan Muttaqi” as “Minister of Foreign Affairs,” requesting to participate in the UN gathering of world leaders.
Muttaqi said in the letter that former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was “ousted” as of Aug 15. Countries across the world “no longer recognize him as president” and therefore Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan.
The Taliban said they were nominating a new UN permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the UN spokesman said, who also served as spokesman for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.
Read more: Taliban demand Qatar as a venue for talks instead of Saudi Arabia
However, one of the officials said the committee “would take some time to deliberate”, suggesting the Taliban’s envoy would not be able to speak at the General Assembly at this session at least during the high-level leaders’ week.
Important to note, the West is reluctant to recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.