US officials to meet Taliban representatives in Doha this week

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US officials will meet Taliban representatives and "technocratic professionals" from key Afghan ministries during a visit to Doha this week, according to the State Department.

"Priority issues will include humanitarian support for the people of Afghanistan, economic stabilization, fair and dignified treatment of all Afghans, including women and girls, security issues, and efforts to counter narcotics production and trafficking," the agency said in a statement.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights, Rina Amiri, will travel to Astana, Kazakhstan and Doha, Qatar on July 26 - 31.

In Astana, they will meet colleagues from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a C5+1 Special Session on Afghanistan as well as civil society members focused on advancing women’s economic empowerment in Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.

The C5+1, which includes Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, was formed under former US President Barack Obama during the 2015 UN General Assembly. It is the US' main dialogue platform with regional states.