Blinken warns Afghanistan could become “pariah state” if peace is not reached with Taliban

Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Wednesday that Afghanistan would become a “pariah state” if a peace deal was not reached between the government and the Taliban.

“An Afghanistan that does not respect the rights of its people, an Afghanistan that commits atrocities against its own people would become a pariah state,” Blinken told reporters.

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The secretary of state’s comments came after visiting India’s top diplomat, External Affairs Commissioner Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who pledged to work for peace in Afghanistan through diplomatic measures.

In recent weeks, the Taliban have made major advances following the withdrawal of US troops and have taken control of around half of Afghanistan’s 421 districts.

Neighboring countries have expressed concern about the increase in terrorist activities that could spread to neighboring countries.

Jaishankar called the security implications an “inevitable” side effect of the conclusion of a 20-year-long war and the withdrawal of US security forces.

“What’s done is done,” he said, calling for diplomatic solutions in the face of increased military action. “It’s adopted policy, and I think in diplomacy you take care of what you have.”

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Blinken’s meeting with his Indian counterpart coincided with a meeting between a Taliban delegation and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Wang said the Taliban should “play an important role in the process of peaceful reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan.”

Blinken called the meeting a “positive thing” and said Beijing’s efforts could help find a peaceful resolution and establish “some sort of [Afghan] government… it’s really representative and inclusive.

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Secretary of State – who traveled to Kuwait to ensure safe passage for former translators fleeing Taliban-ravaged nation – said US-India relations a “top foreign policy” priority for the administration Biden.

“There are few relationships in the world that are more vital than the one between the United States and India,” Blinken told reporters. “We believe this partnership will be essential to ensure stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, and to show the world how democracies can be of service to their people.”