Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has reportedly urged the Taliban to appoint “a few Tajik figures” to senior positions in their administration in an effort to boost the group’s domestic and international legitimacy, sources told Afghanistan International.
Sources in the United States told the outlet that Khalilzad’s recent visit to Kabul was a personal trip and not linked to the US government. During his stay, he met with the Taliban’s defence minister and several senior officials.
The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that Khalilzad, who served as the US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, had paid an “informal visit” to Kabul and held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister. The ministry said the discussions focused on “ways to expand bilateral relations” between the Taliban and the United States.
A well-placed source in Kabul said Khalilzad urged the Taliban to include several symbolic Tajik figures in their administration, mentioning four or five names during the talks, though the names were not disclosed. The source quoted Khalilzad as saying that diversifying the Taliban’s leadership would be an important step toward gaining legitimacy both inside Afghanistan and abroad.
According to the source, Khalilzad told Taliban leaders that to overcome their ongoing disputes with Pakistan, they must achieve a degree of international recognition, which would require including non-Pashtun figures in government. He reportedly assured Taliban officials that if they broadened their political base, he would help lobby for international acceptance of their government.
Earlier, Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai reported that Khalilzad had been working to promote international recognition for the Taliban administration. Citing Taliban sources, Yousafzai wrote that Khalilzad had encouraged former US president Donald Trump to adopt a more positive approach toward recognising the Taliban government. However, the report added that Trump’s stance shifted following meetings with Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Khalilzad arrived in Kabul on 22 October but has not publicly commented on the purpose of his visit. Although he currently holds no official position in the US administration, he has in recent months participated in unofficial delegations involved in negotiations for the release of American hostages held in Afghanistan.