KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 ― Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah today reiterated that Malaysia has yet to recognise the Taliban as the government in Afghanistan even though representatives from both sides have met.

He also said that despite Malaysia’s offer of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, there are no plans to open a diplomatic mission there “anytime soon”.

“We are not yet recognising the Taliban government. Hence, we are not opening an embassy there anytime soon,” he told Malay Mail.

Saifuddin had previously said that Putrajaya is taking “a cautious approach” with regards to Afghanistan and will wait for the signal from international bodies like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation before it decides whether or not to establish diplomatic ties with the Taliban – once seen as a terror group.

Saifuddin’s special adviser on Afghanistan Datuk Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman was seen having talks with the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi in Kabul yesterday, in pictures the latter posted on Twitter.

 

According to Abdul Qahar, the meeting also included Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussions centres on humanitarian aid, Islamic finance, transparency and ways to enhance relations with Malaysia.

However, a US scholar at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Aaron Y. Zelin also shared a photo of the Taliban and Malaysian representatives on Twitter and claimed Ahmad Azam had said that Malaysia would open an office in Kabul “for aid and economic cooperation”.

Saifuddin’s office later clarified that the Malaysian office in Kabul was to be set up under the Global Peace Mission, which Ahmad Azam also chairs, and not one by the Malaysian government.

The prime minister’s special envoy to the Middle East Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had previously met representatives from the Taliban in Doha on February 4 in meeting facilitated by the Qatari government.