Top minister says Taliban government won’t allow attacks by militants

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN » The foreign minister in Afghanistan’s new Taliban-run Cabinet said Tuesday that the government remains committed to promises the Taliban made last year to not allow militants to use their territory to launch attacks on foreign countries.

Amir Khan Mutaqi, a longtime Taliban negotiator, appeared at his first news conference since the movement formed an interim government a week ago. Other nations — and many Afghans at home — are watching for signs of how the Taliban will govern Afghanistan after sweeping out the U.S.backed administration last month.

The United States and its allies have pushed the Taliban not to repeat their harsh rule of the 1990s, when they last governed and imposed an extreme interpretation of Islamic law that included severe restrictions on women and ethnic and religious minorities.

Mutaqi gave little indication of whether they would bend to international pressure. During the news conference, he would not say how long the interim government would be in place or whether it would eventually be opened up to other factions, women or minority group representatives.

Asked whether elections eventually would be held, he replied that other countries must not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal issues. He repeated the comment several times during the news conference.

Mutaqi did give the first confirmation from a member of the interim government of the new Cabinet’s intention to honor a deal the Taliban reached with the United States last year. Under the deal, which opened the way for the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban promised to break ties with al-Qaida and other militant groups and ensure they don’t threaten other countries from the movement’s territory.

“We will not allow anyone or any groups to use our soil against any other countries,” the foreign minister said.

While ruling Afghanistan during the 1990s, the Taliban sheltered al-Qaida and its chief, Osama bin Laden. Their refusal to hand over bin Laden and other al-Qaida members after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks prompted the U.S. to launch a military assault which ousted the Taliban and led to the ensuing 20-year war in Afghanistan..

The Taliban, who toppled Afghanistan’s U.S.backed government on Aug. 15, have faced heavy international criticism for forming an interim government made up entirely of Taliban members despite previous promises to be more inclusive.

Governments around the world have said they will not recognize Afghanistan’s new rulers until a more inclusive government is put in place.

Asked Tuesday if the Taliban would include women or ethnic and religious minorities in the government, Mutaqi said, “We will decide in time.”