French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced on Wednesday that the Taliban, which has taken control of Afghanistan, must adhere to five preconditions in order for its regime to gain international recognition. He emphasized that the moderate statements made by the militant Islamic group are meaningless unless accompanied by actions.
In an interview with the French news network "BFM TV," Le Drian stated, "I know that they (the Taliban) are making a lot of efforts to try to gain international recognition, but it is not enough to issue statements we read here and there regarding respect for women's rights; what is needed is action."
He added, "If the new generation of the Taliban wants international recognition (...) they must first allow Afghans who want to leave the country out of fear to do so, and then they must prevent their country from becoming a haven for terrorism. They need to demonstrate this in a very concrete way."
The French minister continued to list the conditions, stating that the Taliban must also "allow humanitarian aid to enter Afghan territory, and they must respect rights, especially women's rights. They declare this, but they need to act."
According to Le Drian, the fifth and final condition is "to form a transitional government." He clarified that "these are the conditions for obtaining international recognition. After that, we will see, but for now, they must take these steps; they have not yet been achieved."
Le Drian warned the Taliban that if they do not meet these demands, "they will be ostracized by the international community, and they will have to live in a state of isolation... it will require a great deal of firmness."
