US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the media after meetings on the sidelines of the 76th Session of the UNGA in New York, US, September 23, 2021.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he believes the world is united on pressing the Taliban after speaking with Pakistan, China and Russia, key players with Afghanistan's new rulers.
Blinken met Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly with his counterpart from Pakistan, the chief ally of the Taliban regime that was toppled by US troops in 2001, and held talks with ministers of the four other veto-wielding Security Council members including China and Russia on Wednesday evening.
"I think there is very strong unity of approach and unity of purpose," Blinken told reporters.
"The Taliban says that it seeks legitimacy, that it seeks support, from the international community. The relationship that it has with the international community is going to be defined by the actions it takes."
Blinken reiterated US priorities for the Taliban including allowing Afghans and foreigners to leave, respecting the rights of women, girls and minorities, and not letting Afghanistan be used again by extremists such as Al Qaeda.
The State Department said Blinken highlighted "the importance of coordinating our diplomatic engagement" in talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
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I met with Pakistani Foreign Minister @SMQureshiPTI about our bilateral cooperation and Afghanistan’s future. pic.twitter.com/zF4TVSqixF
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 23, 2021
No hurry to 'recognise the new Taliban govt'
Pakistan has called for engagement with the Taliban and the unfreezing of Afghan assets but Qureshi said earlier in the week that there was no rush to recognise a new Taliban government, a step opposed by Western nations.
Qureshi, opening his meeting with Blinken, said, "We have to find a way of collectively working to achieve our common objective, which is peace and stability."
China and Russia have both moved to engage with the Taliban but have also stopped short of recognition and have longstanding concerns about extremism.
The Taliban swept through Afghanistan last month after President Joe Biden withdrew US troops, saying there was no point in extending America's longest war beyond 20 years.
READ MORE: US to assess its ties with Pakistan over Afghanistan's future
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