United Nations holds Afghanistan crisis talks without Taliban
The HinduThe Taliban authorities will be absent from the U.N.-led talks on Afghanistan that open on May 1 in Qatar, as a government spokesman rejects linking international engagement with women's rights in the crisis-stricken country. In an open letter to the Doha meeting released on Sunday, a coalition of Afghan women's groups said they were "outraged" that any country would consider formal ties with the government that the U.N. calls the "de facto authorities". Rights groups' fears have been fuelled by remarks made last month by U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who said the Doha meeting could find "baby steps" that lead to a "principled recognition" of the Taliban government. Ahead of his arrival in Doha, Mr. Guterres' office said the meeting "is intended to achieve a common understanding within the international community on how to engage with the Taliban" on women's and girls' rights, inclusive governance, countering terrorism and drug trafficking.