Marise Payne touches base in Afghanistan talks

Marise Payne has met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ahead of Western troops’ withdrawal.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne with Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation chair Abdullah Abdullah.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has met Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani and other senior figures in Kabul to discuss Australia’s ongoing support for security in the war-torn nation and investigation of alleged war crimes during the two decade conflict.

Senator Payne discussed the challenges of the pandemic and the shared desire for peace emerging from the negotiations with the Taliban, amid fears that hard-fought advancements achieved for the people of Afghanistan could be unwound following the withdrawal of Western forces.

Senator Payne also met with the nation’s Women’s Affairs Minister Hasina Safi to discuss how the two countries could maintain the gains made for Afghan women and girls over the past twenty years.

Her talks with the High Council for National Reconciliation chair Abdullah Abdullah focused on Australia’s humanitarian assistance to the country and the ­establishment of a special investigator to prosecute allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan. “During these meetings, we discussed the sacrifices made by the Afghan people, as well as those international military forces killed or wounded, including those Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice and the many who still bear the impacts of their service in Afghanistan both physical and mental,” Senator Payne said.

I visited Kabul to affirm Australia’s support for the people of Afghanistan, meeting with President Ghani. I expressed our deepest condolences for the cowardly terrorist attack on teenage girls at school. I thanked our 🇦🇺@dfat & #youradf personnel 🇦🇺🇦🇫 https://t.co/y54KUYi2ZBpic.twitter.com/5BpdDEVB5S

— Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) May 10, 2021

Foreign Minister Marise Payne meets with Afghan President Ashraf Ghan in Kabul.

Senator Payne also met US General Austin Miller, Commander of Resolute Support, to discuss the alliance’s withdrawal plans.

“With the departure of the Australian Defence Force, the Australia-Afghanistan relationship is beginning a new chapter of our diplomatic relationship, established in 1969,” she said.

“We will continue our close friendship and support our shared aspiration of peace, stability and prosperity. We will continue our development assistance program to work to preserve the significant gains made by the Afghan people, in particular advancing the rights of women and girls.”

Australia has reduced its military presence in Afghanistan, the country’s longest war, from a high of more than 1500 personnel to about 80 current personnel.

Last month, Scott Morrison announced Australia would pull its troops from Afghanistan by September.