Mohammad Suheil Shahin, appointed by the Taliban* as the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the UN, told RIA Novosti that he expects to soon represent the country in the organization.
“The permanent representative of the administration of Kabul (the former government – ed.) does not represent Afghanistan and the population of the country. They do not have popular support. We have the support of the Afghan population and control over the entire territory of Afghanistan. The place of Afghanistan in the UN is our right. We hope that everyone will soon realize this indisputable fact”, Shahin said.
Earlier, the official representative of the UN General Assembly chairperson Monica Grayley told RIA Novosti that the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the UN informed the organization that the country would not speak at the general debate of the high-level week of the General Assembly session. Earlier, Afghanistan disappeared from the list of speakers on the final day of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly session.
Initially, it was assumed that the head of state would take part in the main foreign policy event of the year. Then, against the backdrop of the Taliban coming to power in Kabul, he was replaced in the schedule by the “head of the delegation”, which meant a speech by the Permanent Representative to the UN. It was scheduled for Monday.
Last week, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq told RIA Novosti that the Taliban had sent a letter to the UN in which they stated that Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative, Gulam Isakzai, appointed by the previous government, no longer represents the country in the organization. The Taliban announced that they have appointed a new Afghan representative to the UN – Mohammad Suheil Shahin.
After the Taliban came to power, Isakzai has repeatedly criticized the Taliban at the UN. In particular, he stated that the government they formed was not inclusive, and also accused them of human rights violations. It is expected that the UN Credentials Committee will have to deal with who will represent Afghanistan in the UN – Isakzai or the Taliban speaker.
*-Terrorist organization banned on the territory of Russia