Conflict
Crisis/Conflict/Terrorism
PM Justin Trudeau says Canada will not recognize Taliban

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 19 Aug 2021, 04:33 am Print

PM Justin Trudeau says Canada will not recognize Taliban Justin Trudeau

Image; Justin Trudeau Instagram page

Ottawa: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has said his nation will not recognize the Taliban regime as the legitimate government in Afghanistan.

His remarks came one day after Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau, speaking on CBC's Power & Politics, said the federal government would take a "wait and see" approach to the question of recognition.

"They have taken over and replaced the duly elected, democratic government by force," Trudeau told CBC, noting that the federal government of the day did not recognize the Taliban the last time they were in power.

"The Taliban need to ensure free access to people to get to the airport," Trudeau said. "We will continue to work with our international partners to put pressure on them to do just that and secure a future for people in Afghanistan."

Global reactions are varying on the issue with many choosing to adopt a wait and watch policy.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Wednesday avoided commenting directly on whether his country will establish talks with the Taliban or not.

Jaishankar, who is at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York, said New Delhi is prioritising the safe return of the Indian nationals from Afghanistan at the moment while it is "too early to comment on what would be India's way forward in Afghanistan".

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday said it is hosting Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on "humanitarian ground" after he fled his country following the Taliban take over.

"The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds," it said in a brief statement.

Ghani fled Afghanistan as the Taliban entered the capital city-Kabul.

Later in a Facebook post, Ghani said he did so to avoid bloodshed since Talibans would have resorted to clashes that would endanger millions of residents of Kabul.

At that time he did not mention where he was.

What followed was scenes of desperation at the Kabul airport on Monday with hundreds of people, desperate to leave Afghanistan, clinging on to a moving US Air Force C-17 aircraft on the tarmac.