Taliban requests Afghanistan seat at UN
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The Taliban's spokesperson Suhail Shaheen requests giving Afghanistan's seat at the UN to the current ruling Taliban regime.
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During their previous rule from 1996-2001, the Taliban had no UN representation and were only recognized by three countries.
The Taliban made an appeal on Friday for Afghanistan's seat at the United Nations after the ambassador of the former US-backed government left his post.
Assistant UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told AFP that Afghan ambassador Ghulam Isaczai "relinquished his position as of December 15," according to a letter received Thursday.
The Taliban's nominee for the position, Suhail Shaheen, said the seat should be given to the new government of Afghanistan, adding it was a matter of credibility for the world body.
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— Suhail Shaheen. Ù…Øمد سهیل شاهین (@suhailshaheen1) December 17, 2021
Rules should supersede political preferences. Otherwise, its neutrality will be questioned.
Early this month, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution that indefinitely postpones any resolution for its session on who will represent Afghanistan from September 2021 to September 2022. No country has yet recognized the Taliban regime that took control of Afghanistan in mid-August.
But even a month after the Taliban takeover, Isaczai was still being received at UN headquarters and in November openly criticized the country's new rulers at a Security Council meeting.
During their previous rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban had no UN representation and their regime was only recognized by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan.
UN-nominee Shaheen served as deputy ambassador to Islamabad during that period and became the exiled spokesman of the movement after they were toppled.
