Malaysia monitoring development in Afghanistan - Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 -- Malaysia is taking a cautious stand and monitoring the latest development in Afghanistan following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban last Aug 15, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said so far, the Taliban interim government is not recognised by any countries, including by Afghanistan neighbour countries.

He said there were several considerations or factors that needed to be looked into before the government were to make a final decision on the issue, including the level of acceptance by the Afghan people themselves on the takeover of the country by the Taliban.

 "Secondly, we find that the interim government formed by the Taliban is still not inclusive as it does not include the participation of other major ethnic groups, as well as on the role of women and girls," he said during the question and answer session in Parliament today.

He said Malaysia had always held that the government in Kabul should be based on an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled peace and reconciliation process.

As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Saifuddin said Malaysia was focusing on the collective stand made through the Emergency Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee last Aug 22 which was to strengthen the OIC's commitment and support for Afghanistan.

Apart from that, to also highlight the expectations of the international community from the new leadership in Afghanistan and underlining the importance of protecting and respecting the right to life, liberty and security of the Afghan people in complying with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he added.

He said this in response to a question by Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli (PH-Lumut) who wanted to know whether Malaysia would recognise Afghanistan under the new Taliban rule.

Touching on Malaysians in Afghanistan, Saifuddin said only two people were serving with international humanitarian organisations there, namely the Norwegian Red Cross  and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as of yesterday.

He said they had reported on their presence in Afghanistan and that they were safe to the Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi.

Malaysia had promised to provide financial assistance of US$100,000 through the United Nations Humanitarian Organisation (UN), he added.

-- BERNAMA