A high-level delegation from the Taleban administration in Afghanistan has arrived in Qatar seeking humanitarian aid and political recognition, said reports.
It is led by Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil, who was quoted by BBC.online as telling reporters he was trying to get all Islamic states to recognize the Taleban as the Afghan government -- especially Qatar, which is the current chairman of the Islamic Conference Organization.
At present, only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recognize the Taleban.
Last month, Qatar sent a delegation to Afghanistan in an unsuccessful bid to save two ancient Buddhist statues from destruction by the Taleban administration.
Renowned Muslim cleric Youssef Qardawi said on a program on Al Jazeera TV, that Qatari officials pledged to help Taliban build an institution to teach Arabic and Islamic studies.
The 12-member delegation flew to Doha after an official invitation to hold talks on economic and political issues, the official Islamabad-based Radio Shariat reported, quoted by the Qatari Gulf Times daily.
In a statement, Mutawakil called on Muslim countries to take "a true stand" alongside the Afghan people and the country's Islamic government.
He denounced the current European tour by Afghan opposition leader Ahmed Shah Masood and the reception accorded to him by the European Union (EU). "From our point of view he has not succeeded and what he is doing is prolonging war in Afghanistan," the Taliban official was quoted by the daily as saying – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
