Taliban to announce interim government soon
Kabul, Sep 6 (EFE).- The Taliban Monday said it would form an interim government in Afghanistan soon following a delay due to some “technical issues.”
“The government will be announced soon. There are some technical issues,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said at a press conference in the Afghan capital.
Mujahid, however, did not give a specific date when they would announce the government formation.
The country has been without a formal government for more than three weeks now after the Taliban seized power in Kabul that forced then-president Ashraf Gani to flee the country.
The Taliban spokesperson said the new government would be interim.
“The government will probably be a caretaker government for now,” Mujahid said.
He said the administration would have room for reform and change.
Asked if an elected government accepted by all Afghans would follow the interim administration, Mujahid said it was too early to talk about that as polls were “not in sight for now”.
“The next government will decide the next procedure,” said Mujahid.
He said the new Afghan leadership would also decide on the constitutional framework of the country.
“It will be the duty of our government to … negotiate with the elderly how to make the constitution,” he said.
The Taliban spokesperson said it was open for debate whether the government could retain the earlier constitution or adopt a new one.
Mujahid reiterated the desire of the Taliban to maintain good ties with the international community.
He said they expected the global community to recognize a Taliban government.
“China is our friendly country. They helped us a lot and definitely we have asked them to help us, to cooperate with us. We also request to the China government to recognize our government officially and have diplomatic ties with us.”
He said the Taliban were ready to offer their “cooperation and full support for the security” of the Chinese economic projects in the region.
“We have asked international organizations and countries to please help with Afghan problems because Afghans are suffering, the level of poverty is very high and people need food and other necessities.”
He said it must come in the form of humanitarian aid because the Taliban were unwilling to accept funds and fulfill the demands of foreign governments.
The lesson for Afghans after this war is that “they should no longer trust foreigners, if Afghans think foreigners are going to build our country they are totally wrong,” he said.
The United States “destroyed everything and left,” he said, referring to the withdrawal of US and NATO troops that culminated into the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on Aug.15.
