KABUL (Pajhwok): The former Afghanistan envoy in Berlin and the consul-general in Bonn had quit the other week, as Australia posted a special envoy to help pay off families of victims of war crimes in Afghanistan.
Also in the outgoing week, Japan and Kuwait pledged almost $8m in new aid funds to Afghanistan.
Table of Contents
Key events of Lask Week:
- China again backs peace reconstruction of Afghanistan
- Qomi: Iran willing to finalize uncompleted health care projects in Afghanistan.
- Two diplomats of Afghaniistan in Germany have resigned.
- Australia appoints envoy to pay victims of war crimes families
- On Monday, Japan and Kuwait pledged $8 million to fund the damages in Afghanistan.
- Fitrat: Afghanistan is establishing closer relations with Tajikistan and the two countries are exchanging more communiques than before.
Casualties
At least 13 people were killed and one injured in separate acts of violence across Afghaniistan last week.
Two days ago the Ministry of Interior reported that ten worshipers had been killed due to an armed raid in northern Baghlan province.
UNAMA condemned the bombing at the Sufi shrine in the Ahrain district of the province and called for a probe into the incident that claimed lives.
Officials in the southeastern province of Khost report that a child was shot to death during a wedding dance. In Kandahar, armed robbers murdered a young man while in Samangan one person was stabbed to death and another wounded.
Note: These figures are based on reports received by Pajhwok Afghan News. It is possible some cases have occurred and were never reported or some of the sources that were used may have given wrong statistics.
A week before, in the whole country, three people had been reported killed.
Before the change of political leadership at the start of this year, about 300 civilians, insurgents, and security forces were being killed and injured per week.
Ties with Tajikistan & Uzbekistan
HamdullahFitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghaniistan (IEA) stated that the caretaker government of Afghaniistan wanted to have a friendly relationship with Tajikistan and recently there have been more diplomatic tours to Tajikistan between the two countries.
Newly appointed Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Afghaniistan Oybek Usmanov handed over the credential letter to Afghaniistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
A peaceful Afghanistan beneficial for all
Yue Xiaoyong China’s Special Envoy expressed that his country does not meddle with the affairs of Afghaniistan and reiterated his country’s support towards Kabul’s peace and reconstruction initiatives.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said that peace in Afghanistan is the want of regional countries and in the large interest of the world.
Stanikzai called the International actors and Global organizations to work in a multifaceted manner with the Caretaker government of Afghanistan as per the Doha Agreement.
The recent news said that during the meeting with Afghan officials and Pakistani diplomats, Xiaoyong stressed that neighboring countries should function as guarantors of peace and stability in Afghaniistan.
All the discussions were centered on increasing cooperation between Afghaniistan and its neighbors for a stable Afghanistan.
Qomi meets Afghan and foreign officials
Iran’s Ambassador and Special Representative Hassan Kazemi-Qomi has returned to Tehran after meeting Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs Maulvi Abdul Kabir.
Qomi informed Maulvi Kabir that Iran had plotted to shift the Afghan prisoners to their own country. Iran aimed at the enhancement of political, economic, and cultural relations and cooperation with Afghanistan, said the ambassador.
He said Tehran is already seeking to bring free water to Afghanistan through the development and opening of the Chabahar port.
He said that Iran is willing and capable of finishing unaccomplished health projects in Afghanistan and starting construction and academic projects in Afghan universities.
He also discussed the issue of identification and settlement of Afghan immigrants with Defence Minister Maulvi Mohammad Yaqoob Muhajid on friendly relations, good neighborliness, and border cooperation. They stated that they are open to increasing cooperation in different spheres.
According to Qomi, during a meeting with the UNAMA’s Deputy Political Representative Georgette Gagnon Tehran has expressed its full support to every constructive initiative of the international community aimed at stabilizing Afghanistan.
He also had one one-on-one with the Japanese and Uzbekistan ambassadors. It became clear from the discussions in the meetings of the council that some emphasized the upcoming Doha conference and others were concerned with the international community concerning Afghaniistan’s challenges.
Ex-Afghan diplomats in Germany resign
The Afghan ambassador in Berlin of the former government and the consul-general in Bonn city resigned their jobs last week.
They said, given the conditions, they are leaving their posts due to the position of the host country politically and politically. For now, the IEA nor Germany has made any comment on the issue.
MoFA states Afghan diplomatic missions in London, Belgium, Berlin, Bonn, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, and Australia are unbearable to Kabul because of their poor cooperation.
Australia appoints envoy
As a result of this discovery, the Australian government selected Justice McColl as the Afghanistan Inquiry Compensation advocate.
The inquiries conducted for the Australian Defence Force Afghanistan involved 15 recommendations for payment of compensation to the victims and their families where there occurred credible information of involvement of ADF in property damage, assault, or other unlawful killing on operations in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016, without the requirement of proving a criminal liability.
Justice McColl brings the(position of) customary experience in the practice of law and devotion to the service of the law as well as the judiciary.
She will consider compensation claims that have been referred by the Chief of the Defence Force and determine if compensation should be paid under the terms of the regulation.
Continuation of aid
In this regard, Kuwait stated its willingness to provide $ 50,000 for the Afghanistan Humanitarian Assistance Fund. $7.3 million was also granted for the Afghanistan natural disaster and climate change-affected population.