UNITED NATIONS: No representative from Afghanistan will address the annual high-level US General Assembly in New York after the ambassador for the government ousted by the Taliban – who was due to speak on Monday – withdrew his name.
The move comes as the ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, and the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan last month, have made competing claims for the country’s UN seat in New York.
UN accreditation issues are dealt with by a nine-member committee, whose members include the US, China and Russia.
The committee is not due to meet until October or November and until it makes a decision, Isaczai remains in the seat.
Isaczai had been scheduled to address the final day of the high-level UN gathering, but withdrew late on Sunday, diplomats said.
Afghanistan’s UN mission in New York posted on Twitter on Monday that Isaczai decided not to speak “to preserve the national interests, preserve the seat of Afghanistan in the United Nations and to continue long-term cooperation with United Nations and Security Council on main issues.”
It said Isaczai would continue “activities as usual” at the world body.
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi last week asked to address the gathering of world leaders at the UN and nominated the Islamist group’s Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan’s UN ambassador.
– Reuters