Holds Dialogue With The Taliban, United States Reaffirms Human Rights And Women's Rights Issues

United States Department of State spokesman Ned Price. (Wikimedia Commons/US Department of State)

JAKARTA - The United States and the Taliban had "productive discussions" on the issue of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan during a meeting in Qatar last weekend, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday, describing the talks as "largely positive." '

Officials discussed humanitarian access during a two-day meeting between Taliban representatives and US officials, including some from the intelligence community and the US Agency for International Development.

Price said talks focused on issues of security and terrorism, safe passage for foreign nationals and Afghan allies from the United States to leave the country, and human rights.

Washington has repeatedly called on Afghanistan's new rulers to show respect for human rights, including the rights of women and girls, to win international legitimacy.

"The delegation made it clear, as we have consistently done, that the Taliban will ultimately be judged not only for its words but solely for its actions," Price said, quoted by Reuters.

Separate meetings with Taliban representatives involving officials from the European Union as well as US officials took place on Tuesday, Price added. To note, the European Union is ready to disburse humanitarian aid worth 1 billion euros, which is confirmed for Afghanistan, not for the Taliban.

"The aid is intended to prevent a major humanitarian and socio-economic catastrophe. It is direct support for Afghanistan and will be channeled through international organizations, not to the interim government formed by the Taliban which is not recognized by Brussels (EU headquarters)," explained EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quoted AFP October 12.

"We have been clear about our conditions for any engagement with the Afghan authorities, including in respecting human rights."

To note, since the Taliban took power in August, Washington has frozen bilateral aid to Afghanistan but says it is still providing assistance through non-governmental groups.

There have been calls for government reserves held in the United States to be made available to the new Taliban-led government to defuse the growing humanitarian crisis.