Reject President Macron's Proposal For A Safe Zone In Kabul, Taliban: No Need! Can It Be Made In France Or England?

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen (second from right). (Twitter/@suhailshaeen1)

JAKARTA - The Taliban firmly rejected the idea of creating a UN-controlled safe zone in Kabul, Afghanistan, calling it unnecessary, on Sunday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said his country, along with Germany and Britain, were putting forward a UN proposal aimed at establishing a safe zone in Kabul to allow safe passage for people trying to leave Afghanistan.

In response to this, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen called this unnecessary, dismissing it by asserting Afghanistan as an independent country. In fact, he suggested that it be established in the countries that proposed it.

"This is not necessary. Afghanistan is an independent country. Can such a zone be created in France or Britain?" said Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen quoting Sputnik from France Inter Monday 30 August.

He added that the Taliban, however, supported the idea of reaching an agreement with "some countries", to help the movement restore operations to Kabul's airport.

As reported earlier, President Macron, who said France had started discussions with the Taliban to explore how further evacuations could proceed, said the resolution would be brought on Monday to an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council containing veto-wielding members.

"There are some discussions to see how aviation can be rebuilt," President Macron said in a TV interview broadcast by France's TF1, adding that Qatar was also helping with negotiations.

"What we have proposed and what we plan to bring to the UN Security Council together with the UK and Germany is a solution that we have used previously in other operations, which would involve creating a zone that would allow people to arrive at the airport".

Asked if he was optimistic the proposed safe zone would be acceptable to the Taliban, Macron said it was too early to reach any conclusions, but he said it was worth pursuing.

"It can mobilize the entire international community, and it also puts pressure on the Taliban," President Macron said, adding the Taliban had to show they were willing to respect humanitarian issues.