U.N. envoy of ousted Afghan government asks to keep New York seat By Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. ambassador representing Afghanistan’s ousted authorities has requested to stay within the nation’s seat on the world physique in New York, a U.N. spokesperson mentioned on Friday, establishing a showdown if the Taliban tries to nominate their very own envoy.

Ambassador Ghulam Isaczai signed a letter to U.N. Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres with an inventory of Afghanistan’s delegation for the Normal Meeting, Guterres’ spokesperson Farhan Haq mentioned.

It was not instantly clear if the Taliban, who seized energy final month as U.S. and international forces withdrew after a 20 yr conflict, would put ahead their very own envoy to the United Nations.

Isaczai despatched his accreditation request on Wednesday, Haq mentioned, a day after the brand new Normal Meeting session began.

Dozens of world leaders are touring to New York subsequent week for the annual U.N. gathering and Isaczai is presently scheduled to handle the ultimate day of the assembly on Sept. 27.

U.N. credentials are handled by a nine-member committee appointed yearly. The committee, named on Tuesday, is made up of the Bahamas, Bhutan, Chile, China, Namibia, Russia, Sierra Leone, Sweden and the USA.

The committee historically meets in October or November to evaluate the credentials of all U.N. members earlier than submitting a report for Normal Meeting approval earlier than the tip of the yr. The committee and Normal Meeting normally function by consensus on credentials, diplomats mentioned.

Till a call is made Isaczai will stay within the seat, based on the Normal Meeting guidelines.

When the Taliban final dominated between 1996 and 2001 the ambassador of the Afghan authorities they toppled remained the U.N. consultant after the credentials committee deferred its determination on rival claims to the seat.

The choice was postponed “on the understanding that the present representatives of Afghanistan accredited to the United Nations would proceed to take part within the work of the Normal Meeting,” based on the committee report.

Guterres mentioned final month that the Taliban’s need for worldwide recognition is the worldwide neighborhood’s solely leverage to press for inclusive authorities and respect for rights, notably for girls, in Afghanistan.