The United States on Monday confirmed media reports about Afghan President Hamid Karzai's moves to get 50 Taliban leaders from the al-Qaida Taliban sanctions list of the United Nations Security Council.
The U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley cautiously told journalists, “I would be careful about putting a particular number on this.”
Crowley, confirmed that the U.S. along with “other members of the Security Council,” was “considering the merits of delisting specific individuals,” under “the process of reviewing the status of several former members of the Taliban currently on the – it's called the 1267 Sanctions List.”
“Most of the individuals under consideration have already reconciled with the Afghan Government while a few others are allegedly deceased and, therefore, no longer warrant inclusion on the sanctions list,” Crowley added.
On the subject of women and their position in case the U.S. lets Taliban to join government, Crowley said, “Women are fundamental to the future development of Afghanistan,” adding, “We have made clear that there are specific stipulations that anyone who wishes to reconcile has to meet. That includes support of the Afghan constitution, including the fundamental rights for all Afghan citizens, including women, enshrined in that constitution.”
Crowley cited Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State as ready to “reiterate this at the upcoming Kabul conference,” saying, “many other foreign ministers and leaders share her view that reconciliation cannot come at the expense of Afghan women, and that will be a very strong message that we continue to reiterate during the course of this process.”
