Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs comments on new Taliban government: “Disturbing signals”

The structure of the Taliban’s new government sends disturbing signals, according to Norway’s Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H).

“It doesn’t represent women and does not reflect the Afghan people and society,” she told the newspaper VG.

Several of the new ministers are on the UN sanctions list. One of the Taliban’s founders, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, has been appointed prime minister.

The leader of the infamous Haqqani network, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is set to become interior minister. Among other things, he is wanted by the FBI for being behind the terrorist attack on Serena Hotel, where the Norwegian journalist Carsten Thomassen was among the six people who were killed.

“Disturbing signals”

“I am concerned that the interim government the Taliban has now appointed is neither inclusive nor representative. It sends disturbing signals,” Eriksen Søreide noted. 

She also pointed out that Afghanistan is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis and that, therefore, Norway will not break all ties with the country’s new leadership.

“We will, as far as possible… find ways we can assist the population with necessary humanitarian aid. A minimum requirement is that those in power facilitate the safety and working conditions of aid workers,” she said.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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