Playing With Fire With the Taliban

Al-Ahram, Egypt, February 5

Last week, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi announced that his government is inching closer toward international recognition, but that any concessions Afghanistan’s new rulers make, especially on the topic of human rights, will be on their terms. According to Muttaqi, the new Taliban government decided to prove the sincerity of its position by maintaining all previous government workers in their posts for the time being. The minister also claimed that his government enjoys the support of Afghanistan’s public, saying: “This is our right, the right of the Afghans, and we will continue our political struggle and our efforts until we fulfill it!” Although no country has officially recognized the Taliban government to date, Muttaqi suggested that his government is actively involved with the international community. He pointed out that several countries operate their embassies in Kabul, and it is expected that other countries, including European Union member states, will soon follow suit. Of course, the most interesting question is how China and Russia respond to the Taliban government. Will they accept or reject the Taliban government? And, more broadly, who will guarantee the stability of the Taliban as one cohesive movement? After all, fringe voices within the Taliban may very well break away from the movement and launch a more radical offshoot. Therefore, only time will tell whether the Taliban government succeeds in establishing diplomatic and political legitimacy. In the meantime, it would be best to closely monitor its actions, especially when it comes to women rights. —Ahmed Abdel-Tawwab (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)