OTTAWA – Canada does not intend to recognise a Taliban government in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday, explaining that Ottawa continues to view the group as a terrorist organisation.
“Canada has no plans to recognise the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan,” Trudeau said.
“They have taken over and replaced a duly elected democratic government by force. And... they are a recognised terrorist organisation under Canadian law.”
On Monday, the United States said that it would only recognise a Taliban government in Kabul if it were to respect the rights of women and shun terrorists.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for G7 leaders to meet on Afghanistan, while European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said yesterday the bloc will have to talk to the Taliban.
However, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said earlier the West will judge the Taliban “by their actions”.
Canada sent more than 40,000 troops to fight the Taliban during a 12-year campaign – its longest war – alongside allies. In total, 158 Canadian soldiers have died.
In 2013, Ottawa added the Taliban to its list of banned terrorist entities, making it a criminal offence to have any dealings with the group.
The listing cites Taliban attacks on girls’ schools, and the use of an ambulance for a suicide bombing in Kabul that killed at least 95 people, as examples of its “terrorist tactics”.
Trudeau said his government’s current priority is the evacuation of Canadian diplomats and Afghans who worked with Canada from Kabul. He has also said Canada will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees. – AFP, August 18, 2021
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