West discusses Afghanistan

NEW YORK (Agencies): US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West has met with officials of a number of countries and organizations on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Following meeting with Japan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Kansuke Nagaoka, West said on Twitter that Japan is a “stalwart supporter of the Afghan people, active diplomatically, and generous in its contributions to address Afghans’ humanitarian and basic needs.” West also met with Tariq Ali Bakheet, special envoy of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to discuss OIC’s work in Afghanistan. “Appreciate the OIC’s focus on promoting moderation, tolerance, women and girls’ access to education, and women’s right to work,” West said. Following his meeting with Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt, the envoy said that they discussed “shared interests” in Afghanistan. “Norway is a critical partner as we seek to continue principled support of the Afghan people,” he said. West also met with head of International Rescue Committee (IRC), David Miliband, and said the organization is a “tremendous partner at the forefront of delivering principled assistance across Afghanistan.” On his meeting with Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, the envoy said that they discussed “shared security interests, the imperative to support Afghan women and girls’ rights, and the status of humanitarian support in Afghanistan.” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry in a statement that the country’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met with the United States’ Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, United States’ Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, and Special Representative of US President for Afghanistan Thomas West, on the margin of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), held in New York. “The meetings discussed Qatar-US bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them as well as regional and international issues of common concern in addition to the latest developments in Afghanistan,” the statement said.