EFSAS comments on China's acceptance of the Taliban Ambassador
February 3, 2024
While China's acceptance of Karimi’s credentials marks a significant step, it remains an isolated one. No other major nation has recognized the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and the UN has repeatedly denied their requests for representation at the world body. The UN has refused to grant the Afghan seat to Taliban representative Suhail Shaheen. Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily established control over many Afghan diplomatic missions, primarily in neighboring countries. The group now oversees Embassies in at least 14 countries, including Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Some countries, including Russia, China and Iran, have maintained their Embassies in Kabul. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in New York that Moscow had not recognized the Taliban regime because of political and human rights considerations. Lavrov said, “We, as the rest of the UN members, do not officially recognize the Taliban”.
