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Indonesia, Qatar ministers urge Taliban to let girls return to school
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Qatar's Deputy Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater together held talks with the Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Doha amid mounting concern over rights in the country, especially for women.
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Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (second right) speaks with top Taliban representative Amir Khan Muttaqi (second left) on the margins of an emergency meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Courtesy of Foreign Ministry/-)
T
wo women ministers, from mainly Muslim nations, on Monday put international demands that Afghan girls be allowed back in school to a top member of the Taliban government, officials said.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Qatar's Deputy Foreign Minister Lolwah Al Khater together held talks with the Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Doha amid mounting concern over rights in the country, especially for women.
Foreign governments have warned that the Taliban actions could cause a backlash at a fund-raising conference for Afghanistan on Thursday, as aid agencies warn of a growing food and health crisis in the country of 37 million people.
Retno and Al Khater were the first foreign representatives to meet a Taliban leader since the fundamentalist group sent girls home last Wednesday, a few hours after letting them back into secondary schools.
In a Twitter comment Retno said that she and Al Khater "discussed (the) humanitarian issue and education for all in Afghanistan" with Muttaqi.
"Girls in education as well as women's rights were discussed in the meeting," added a source briefed on Monday's discussions.
The United States cancelled planned talks with Muttaqi in Doha at the weekend in protest at the school action.
