By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI – The international isolation of the Taliban regime seems to be gradually disappearing with more countries expressing willingness to establish diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. While Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have officially recognised the Taliban government, several other countries have come forward recently to strengthen relations with Afghanistan.
The latest instance is that of Turkey, which has terminated the mission of Afghan diplomats appointed by Afghanistan’s former pro-Western government, in a move which paves the way for the Taliban to appoint their own envoys. Taliban have moved to take control of the Afghanistan’s Embassies and Consulates overseas after more than three years in power. Their takeover of diplomatic missions in Turkey has pushed this number to more than 40.
The Taliban’s participation in the third Doha Conference, their decision to bar the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Richard Bennett, from Afghanistan, and their directive to diplomatic missions in Europe that are still under Republic-era diplomats that they will not accept passports, visas or other documents issued by these missions, show the group’s growing assertiveness.
Even as an international recognition still remains the Taliban’s long-term goal, the current status quo has given it the space to strengthen its hold on the country and present a public picture of diplomatic strength. Kabul witnessed a flurry of diplomatic activity at the end of January, with 11 countries accepting the Taliban’s invitation to attend an international conference titled “Afghanistan Regional Cooperation Initiative”.
The multilateral meeting was aimed at developing regional cooperation and was attended by representatives of countries like India, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, among others, according to Taliban authorities. Though it was not clear whether the gathering produced any concrete results, the conference seems to underline the will of the Taliban regime to build good relations with neighboring countries.
In another indication of success of Taliban in their efforts to gain international recognition, China’s President Xi Jinping accepted the credentials of Mawlawi Asadullah Bilal Karimi, the Taliban-appointed Afghan Ambassador, in January-end. However, China stressed that the diplomatic accreditation does not mean that Beijing officially has recognised the current rulers in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan and China have moved closer together since the Taliban took power in August 2021. Several Chinese companies signed a series of business deals with the Taliban in 2023. These include a 25-year oil production contract with an estimated investment value of 150 million U.S dollars in the first year, which would rise up to 540 million U.S. dollars in the following three years.
Iran has also been cultivating closer relations with Kabul for several years. Tehran named Iranian diplomat Hassan Kazemi Qomi as the country’s special envoy for Afghanistan in October 2021, just months after the Taliban takeover. Even though the Iranian government has stopped short of recognising the Taliban government, it has signalled that it considers contacts with the Taliban to be beneficial for the entire region.
India also appears to take a similar view, emphasising political stability in the country. These developments in the region reflect a trend toward diplomatic relations with the Taliban. According to a report by the think tank International Crisis Group, Afghanistan’s neighbors are increasingly in favour of moving closer to the regime in Kabul.
“We cannot wait for the mood in the West to change in favor of the Taliban,” the ICG report quoted an unnamed diplomat from the region. “We are on the front line here,” the diplomat said. For the Taliban, rapprochement with their neighbours would be a major victory, according to Thomas Ruttig, co-founder of the independent think tank Afghanistan Analysts Network.
The Taliban had sought international recognition even when they were in power the last time round, from 1996 to 2001. Sine the group understands this time that there are enormous barriers to establishing links with the West, it is now concentrating on the states within the region, as it is proving somewhat easier to establish contacts there.
Significantly, the diplomatic ties are not so much about ideological similarities, but are rather shaped by concrete geopolitical interests, including the desire to maintain regional security and stability. Another element of regional rapprochement involves economic interests. The trade is slowly picking up after the end of the war in Afghanistan, particularly in the energy sector.
Stepping up its outreach with the Taliban rulers, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met the regime’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai in January. According to a statement by the Taliban Foreign Affairs Ministry, the discussions covered topics such as security concerns in Afghanistan, the need for India to engage in development projects and provide humanitarian assistance, and Afghanistan’s use of Chabahar port in Iran to bring trade to the conflict-ridden country.
“In line with Afghanistan’s balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate aims to strengthen political and economic ties with India as a significant regional and economic partner,” the statement said. The meeting marked the highest level of dialogue between India and the Taliban since the latter seized Kabul in August 2021.
“In response to the request from the Afghan side, India will provide further material support in the first instance to the health sector and for the rehabilitation of refugees. The two sides also discussed strengthening of sports cooperation,” India’s Foreign Office said after the meeting.
The meeting marked a significant step as India appears to be working to meet the diplomatic requirements that would enable it to comprehensively engage with the Taliban. According to the diplomatic experts, India aims to restore its influence in a region where China has significantly stepped up its presence since August 2021.
However, the Taliban’s relationship with Pakistan has soured particularly due to issues related to cross-border terrorism and recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory targeting militant members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group which has repeatedly attacked Pakistani security forces. India has condemned the airstrikes.
During the months to come, it is expected that some other countries will also accredit the Taliban’s diplomats and enhance trade and economic cooperation with the group. The concerns about security will predominate all other concerns for the regional countries and they will try to integrate the Taliban more and more in the regional process to ensure stability at a time when the regime in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly more insulated against international pressures.
