Taliban Wants to Discuss With US Recognition of Its Gov’t and Unfreezing of Afghan Assets

MOSCOW (Sputnik) -The Taliban* wants to discuss with the United States in Doha the issues of recognition of their government, the US participation in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and unfreezing of Afghan assets, spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the Taliban confirmed that the new round of negotiations with the US will start in Qatar next week.

"They can participate in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and make investments in our country and also unfreeze the reserves of the Afghanistan bank; recognize the government of the Islamic State of Afghanistan because it is very necessary for mutual relations and for their investment in the country. So these are the topics to be discussed," Shaheen said.

After the Taliban* seized power in Afghanistan in the middle of August, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund suspended financial aid which had previously accounted for nearly 75% of Afghanistan's public expenditure, while the US froze billions of dollars in assets belonging to the Afghan Central Bank.

The population of the country is currently battered by the deepening economic, humanitarian, and security crises. The United Nations, China, as well as some human rights groups, have repeatedly urged the US to unfreeze Afghan assets to avoid the country's economic collapse.

*The Taliban movement is under UN sanctions over terrorist activities.