The United Nations has announced that the upcoming Doha meeting will take place on May 10th and 11th. However, the Taliban have not yet agreed to participate. During a recent visit to Kabul, the UN Deputy Secretary-General formally extended an invitation to the Taliban. Following their initial refusal, Qatar’s Foreign Minister visited Kabul to encourage the Taliban to attend the meeting.

The Taliban have set forth several conditions for their participation. These include the recognition of their regime in Afghanistan, the release of the Central Bank’s foreign exchange reserves, comprehensive representation of Afghans at the Doha meeting, and the exclusion of civil society members from the proceedings.

According to Kishre News, the United Nations has stated that the objective of the Doha meeting is to enhance international engagement with Afghanistan, specifically the Taliban, in a coherent, coordinated, and structured manner.

The United Nations has suggested that addressing the Taliban’s demands is feasible. However, during the second round of the Doha meeting, the UN declined to accept the Taliban’s proposals, leading to their non-participation. Qatar’s Foreign Minister now asserts that the Doha meeting will not achieve its goals without the Taliban’s involvement.

The Taliban oppose the agenda of the Doha meeting, which primarily focuses on the appointment of a UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan. The Taliban argue that there is no need for a special coordinator given the presence of UNAMA. However, the United Nations considers such a representative essential to ensure the coherence and alignment of political efforts and to facilitate interaction with the Taliban.

Some countries support the appointment of the UN coordinator, while others, citing the Taliban, have expressed opposition. The European Union, the United States, Pakistan, and India are among those in favor of appointing a UN coordinator.

Iran and Russia have opposed the appointment of a United Nations Special Coordinator at the request of the Taliban. During the second meeting in Qatar, representatives from Iran and Russia declined to meet with members of Afghan civil society, a stance that was praised by the Taliban.

According to statements from Taliban officials, it appears they are inclined to participate in the upcoming Doha meeting, suggesting that the United Nations may have addressed some of their demands. One of the primary demands of the Taliban is the recognition of their regime.