Not rushing to recognise Taliban government: White House

A day after the Taliban announced its interim government, the White House said that it is not in a rush to recognise the new interim government in Afghanistan. It further added that they are still in talks with the Taliban to get American citizens out of the war-torn country.

“We have not conveyed we’re going to recognize it and nor are we rushing to recognition. There’s a lot they have to do before that,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at her daily news conference.

She said that neither the POTUS nor the Biden administration would not suggest that the Taliban are respected and valued members of the global community.

“They have not earned that in any way, and we have never assessed that. This is a caretaker cabinet that does include four former imprisoned Taliban fighters,” The White House Press Secretary said.

The administration has not validated that, she said.

In order to get American citizens, legal residents, SIV applicants out of Afghanistan, the US has to engage with the Taliban, she said.

“We have to engage with them,” she said.

“But to engage with them — their new acting interior minister is a Haqqani network terrorist. He’s wanted for a bombing that killed six people, including an American. He’s believed to have participated in cross-border attacks against US troops. There’s a USD 10-million bounty on his head. Why are we engaging?” she asked.

Taliban’s interim government includes specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani as the acting interior minister.

“Should we not talk to the people who are overseeing Afghanistan and just leave it and not get the rest of the American citizens out?” the White House press secretary said.

The international community is watching, she mentioned.

“The United States is watching. It’s whether they let people depart the country who want to depart, whether they treat women across the country as they have committed to treat them and how they behave and operate. And, therefore, we’re not moving toward recognition,” she said.