US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States will only recognise a future government in Afghanistan if it upholds basic rights of its people.
Secretary Blinken said in a statement, “A future Afghan government that upholds the basic rights of its people and that doesn’t harbor terrorists is a government we can work with and recognise.”
He warned that international assistance to a Taliban-led government in Kabul “will not be forthcoming, sanctions will not be lifted and their ability to travel won’t happen” if they did not respect basic rights and did not stop harboring terrorists.
Secretary Blinken rejected claims that Afghanistan was a failed mission. “US had accomplished its goals in Afghanistan by dealing with the folks who attacked us on 9/11 and now was the time to leave.”
Secretary Blinken also rejected the suggestion that sending American troops to evacuate US Embassy staff and other Americans resembled the hasty US evacuation from Vietnam.
“We went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with one mission. And that mission was to deal with the folks who attacked us on 9/11. And we have succeeded in that mission.” He added.
