US and Taliban hold first official talk since 2021: What you need to know

US officials held a significant meeting with representatives of Afghanistan's Taliban government in Doha on July 30 and 31, marking the first direct engagement since 2021. The meeting, led by US special representative to Afghanistan, Thomas West, aimed to address various issues concerning the war-torn nation.

On July 30 and 31, Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West, alongside Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri, and Chief of the U.S. Mission to Afghanistan based in Doha Karen Decker, led a U.S. delegation to continue discussions regarding…

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2023

What US officials said

In an official press note issued by the US Department of State, it was emphasized that US officials urged the Taliban government to reverse policies that have led to a decline in human rights conditions in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the rights of women, girls, and vulnerable communities.

The US also expressed concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The Taliban government has imposed numerous restrictions on women, which include bans on their employment in offices, solo travel, and visits to parks on specific days, as well as the closure of beauty salons.

US officials acknowledged the Taliban's commitment to prevent Afghanistan's territory from being used against the United States and its allies.

Additionally, the US noted the Taliban's continued ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, which has resulted in reduced cultivation during the most recent growing season.

Opium cultivation in Afghanistan

During the first rule of the Taliban government in the 1990s, opium cultivation was rampant, coinciding with the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan. However, in 1995, when Mullah Mohammad Umar assumed leadership of the Taliban, he banned the cultivation of poppy seeds.

Though it was still produced to some extent, the practice was officially banned by the Taliban government since 1995.

The Taliban fighters had a history of excessive opium consumption from 1979 to 1989, during the war with the Soviet Union, and this issue had been prevalent in Afghanistan.

Under Shariah law, the Taliban government prohibited opium cultivation.

The Afghanistan government's perspective

Soheil Shaheen, head of the political bureau in Afghanistan, stated that the dialogue between the US and Afghanistan was constructive and beneficial.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, revealed that the discussions involved confidence-building measures, practical steps, lifting sanctions, releasing Afghanistan's foreign exchange reserves, and maintaining economic stability.

Afghanistan's post-war scenario

Following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, no country has formally recognized the government.

However, the UK and the US recently expressed their willingness to cooperate in efforts to bring stability and peace to Afghanistan.