The Taliban has requested UN to address the General Assembly meetings and fielded spokesman Suhail Shaheen as a candidate for UN ambassador.
Taliban ask to speak at UN General Assembly in New York https://t.co/MqGBPHgs5e
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 21, 2021
Amid disputes over who will represent Afghanistan at the international body, the Taliban said in the letter addressed to the office of the UN secretary-general that it should be represented at the UN, not by the ambassador under former President Ashraf Ghani's government.
According to UN sources contacted by Anadolu Agency, Antonio Guterres received a communication with the letterhead "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs" dated Sept. 20.
The #Taliban administration has asked the UN Secretary-General allowance to address world leaders attending a #UN General Assembly in New York, and has appointed their Doha-based spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, as Afghanistan's ambassador to the United Nations. pic.twitter.com/QyUDjPt9Ea
— Arlaadi News (@ArlaadiNewsA) September 22, 2021
The letter was signed by "Ameer Khan Muttaqi" as "Minister of Foreign Affairs" and requested to participate in the 76th session of the UN General Assembly from Sept. 21-27.
After countries send their candidates' names for ambassador, the candidates are approved by the UN General Assembly Credentials Committee.
Currently, UN envoy Ghulam Isaczai of the former government represents Afghanistan.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
