Marianna Belenkaya
The seizure of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan frightened not only the Western, but also the Islamic world. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – the only countries that, together with Pakistan, 25 years ago recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – this time were among the first to evacuate their diplomats from Kabul and took a wait and see attitude. But the Taliban managed to congratulate the Palestinian movement “Hamas” and the Mufti of Oman, who expressed the sentiments of those forces who have a negative attitude to the US presence in the region.
Saudi Arabia declared its “support for the brotherly Afghan people and the choice that they make themselves, without anyone’s interference.” In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry, the hope was expressed that the Taliban movement and all Afghan parties will work to preserve security, stability, life and property. ” These words came the day after Saudi diplomats were evacuated from Kabul. The UAE diplomats also left the Afghan capital. The country’s Foreign Ministry stressed “the need to urgently achieve stability and security” in Afghanistan and to apply efforts of all Afghan parties for this.
If the urgent evacuation of Western diplomats from Kabul is not surprising, then the decision of Saudi Arabia and the UAE may raise questions.
A quarter of a century ago, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Islamabad were the only ones who recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – this was the name of the state under the rule of the Taliban in 1996-2001. “When the time comes, Pakistan will recognize the Taliban government in accordance with international consensus, basic realities and Pakistani national interests,” Islamic Republic Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi said Sunday. At the same time, he stressed that Pakistan has no favorites in Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia and the UAE do not yet allow themselves even hints of recognition of the Taliban.
Riyadh’s fears are clearly visible in a column in the Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat, written by its former editor, Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, who usually expresses the views of the ruling elites. According to him, there are many issues in the events in Afghanistan that will not be clarified until the real work of the Taliban as a ruling structure begins. Among these issues is the relationship of the Taliban with the United States. Mr al-Rashed believes it likely that the Taliban will seek reconciliation with the Americans. Another important question for Riyadh is whether the Taliban will continue to remain an armed “jihadist” movement and fight outside their borders, including allowing terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS). Although Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that that the Taliban are at war with IS, Riyadh is not completely sure how the relationship between these forces will develop. “Despite what the Taliban say, there is no evidence today that they are at odds with IS and everyone else,” writes Mr al-Rashed, pointing out that the Taliban “released hundreds or thousands of terrorists from Afghan prisons.” The third question that worries him is the degree of Pakistani influence on the Taliban. If it turns out that the Pakistanis have influence on the decisions of the Taliban, it will calm the major powers, ”Abdel Rahman al-Rashed said.
“Riyadh is worried about how various radical forces will behave and how this may affect themselves and the fate of the region. For the sake of caution, diplomats were also evacuated. Saudi Arabia could fear retribution for its conciliatory policy in Afghanistan from the point of view of the Taliban. The Saudis focused on the United States and supported Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country. In addition, they fear the growth of radicalism in the region and how this will affect the situation within the kingdom, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has recently been trying to modernize Islam, displeasing conservative forces, “Grigory, professor at the Moscow State University’s Department of World Politics, told Kommersant. Kosach. The kingdom has not yet forgotten 1979, when Islamist militants seized the main Muslim shrine – the Al-Haram mosque in Mecca. where tens of thousands of believers gathered at that moment. The militants demanded that the authorities give up their “criminal connection” with the West, Western values and culture. After that, the influence of the religious police in the country sharply increased, concerts, cinemas and other mass entertainment were banned, women’s clothing was strictly regulated, as was their freedom of movement and the whole way of life in general. This is what the crown prince is now changing, while Afghanistan may be showing the way back. as well as their freedom of movement and the whole way of life in general. This is what the crown prince is now changing, while Afghanistan may be showing the way back. as well as their freedom of movement and the whole way of life in general. This is what the crown prince is now changing, while Afghanistan may be showing the way back.
As for the UAE , this country values its role as a world financial center too much to take a risky step to support the Taliban until the main world players come to such a decision. In addition, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE sharply reduced their participation in the Afghan settlement after the start of the diplomatic conflict with Qatar.in 2017. Since 2013, Doha has hosted the political office of the Taliban, and has become one of the main negotiating platforms between them, the Afghan government and the United States. Unsurprisingly, Qataris are now more active than their neighbors. “Qatar is doing everything it can to ensure a peaceful transition, especially after a power vacuum has emerged,” said Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abderrahman Al Thani. Another key Islamic state, Turkey, has a similar position. Foreign Minister of this country Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Ankara maintains a dialogue with all parties, including the Taliban.
Compared to Qatar and Turkey, all other Islamic countries are still too cautious in their statements. For example, the Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) only called on the Taliban and all other Afghan parties to defend the interests of the people, adding that it is following developments and reaffirming its support for the peace process. Although at the unofficial level and on social networks, opinions were divided. Some worry about the future of the region, others rejoice at the defeat of the United States. “We congratulate the brotherly Muslim Afghan people on the victory over the invading aggressors, and we follow this, congratulating ourselves and the entire Islamic people on the fulfillment of God’s sincere intention,” said the Mufti of Oman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad al-Khalili. The Omani authorities were silent.
Iran could be among those rejoicing in the defeat of the United States. The Palestinian movement Hamas, ideologically close to Tehran, hailed the “victory of the Taliban over the invading aggressors”, calling it an achievement of the resistance forces and promising to follow their path in the fight against Israel. However, Tehran still prefers negotiations (especially since Russia is interested in connecting the Iranians), rather than the deterioration of the situation at its borders and a sharp increase in the flow of refugees.
“The military defeat and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan should provide an opportunity to restore life, security and lasting peace in this country,” said the new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The Iranians have not yet forgotten the Taliban killing their diplomats and a journalist from the official IRNA agency in 1998.
