WEB DESK
Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister has said ties with Saudi Arabia were “invaluable” to the country, following his first meeting with Riyadh’s new envoy in Kabul, ACCORDING TO ARAB NEWS
Amir Khan Muttaqi held talks with the Saudi Ambassador to Afghanistan Faisal Torki Al-Buqam on Sunday, less than a month since the Kingdom reopened its embassy in the Afghan capital.
“The meeting underlined matters related to expanding bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia,” Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad said in a statement.
“Welcoming the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and calling Afghanistan-Saudi relations invaluable and historic, FM Muttaqi underscored the need to increase the exchange of delegations between the two countries.”
Saudi Arabia was among a host of nations that withdrew its diplomats from Kabul in August 2021, following the Taliban’s return to power and the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan.
Though the Taliban are not officially recognized by any country in the world, Saudi Arabia has joined a number of foreign governments in resuming the work of its diplomatic mission in Kabul.
The Kingdom has been providing consular services for Afghans since November 2021 and resumed sending aid through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center later that same year.
“Our goal is to take advantage of the opportunities available to us,” Zakir Jalaly, director of the second political division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Arab News on Monday.
“We also welcomed the (reopening) of the Saudi embassy and expressed our desire to see increased cooperation between the two countries. Saudi Arabia’s religious, political, and regional position make relations with the country vital for Afghanistan.”
During the first Taliban stint in power in 1996-2001, their administration was recognized by three countries: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.