'Act on principles of impartiality,' Taliban to UN on Naseer Faiq assuming Afghan mission leadership

Responding to the issue of allowing Naseer Ahmad Faiq to assume the seat of Afghanistan's permanent representative at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Taliban on Saturday urged the world body to act on principles of impartiality.

Taliban's nominee for the UN, Suhail Shaheen has told Radio Free of Afghanistan that the UN must act based on the principles of impartiality and allow him to assume the seat, reported Khaama Press.

Shaheen added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is ruling the entire country so the seat must necessarily be given to the envoy of IEA, not to someone who has no sovereignty nor is part of the ruling government in Afghanistan.

"The UN must resolve the issue based on principle and do not allow the problem to further be worsened," added Shaheen.

Afghanistan's permanent mission base in New York on Friday, December 17 in a press statement said that Naseer Ahmad Faiq will assume the post of Permanent Representative in the UN after Ghulam Isaczai resigned from the post, reported Khaama Press.

No country has yet recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. On Thursday, Ghulam Isaczai, who had been appointed Afghanistan's envoy to the UN by now-ousted President Ashraf Ghani and remained at the position even after the Taliban takeover, resigned.

In September, the Taliban addressed the UN, informing them that Isaczai's mission had been completed and "he no longer represents Afghanistan."

The Taliban further informed the United Nations that Shaheen had been nominated as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the UN and requested they proceed with his approval.

Responding to Taliban requests, the UNGA in December adopted a resolution to postpone a decision on who will represent Afghanistan at the UN, refusing to provide international recognition of the "de facto" Taliban authority in Afghanistan and replace the envoy appointed by the "democratically-elected government."

( With inputs from ANI )