KABUL, 13 March 2022, (TON): The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, and the Islamic Emirate’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and their accompanying delegations met in Antalya, Turkey, discussed Afghanistan’s political and economic situation. Both were in Turkey for the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

West said on Twitter that they had a productive conversation.

He said “covered critical issues for the Afghan people: economic stabilization & growth, education, & commercial air travel."

 West said the US shared the allies’ and partners’ view that the international community must stay engaged with the Islamic Emirate and welcomed the reopening of universities in Afghanistan. But he said much more work needs to be done.

He said “much more work remains on human rights, protecting gains, and seeing the richness of Afghan society reflected in governance.”

The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said “Muttaqi and West have agreed that the $3.5 billion Afghan central bank’s assets that have been freed from the US court’s litigation after US President Joe Biden’s executive order should not be given to international humanitarian aid groups and should not be spent as humanitarian assistance.”