VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs Abdul Kadir Jailani answering reporters' questions in Jakarta on Monday (December 6, 2021). (ANTARA/Yashinta Difa/KT) - 

The Indonesian government has cogitated over reactivating its embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, in pursuit of constructive engagement with the country currently ruled by the Taliban group.

Earlier, Indonesia temporarily relocated its diplomatic mission in Kabul to Islamabad, Pakistan, following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghanistan government last August.

"The objective (of reactivating the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul) is to conduct constructive engagement, especially in terms of humanity, aid for women, and awarding scholarship, among others," Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs Abdul Kadir Jailani noted at a media gathering here on Monday.

However, Jailani stressed that the plan to reactivate the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul in no way hints that Indonesia recognizes the Taliban government.

Jailani emphasized that Indonesia will continue to monitor the extent to which the Taliban fulfills its commitment to a government that is more inclusive, especially with respect to women's and children's rights as well as counterterrorism endeavors.

"We hope that the Taliban government would uphold its full commitment to not let its country become a land for homegrown terrorism (or a place to train terrorists)," he affirmed.

Furthermore, Jailani remarked that Indonesia will continue to offer assistance to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which is currently worsening due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the winter season that makes food supply a challenge for the residents itself.

Apart from the humanitarian aid, Indonesia also pushes for a meeting of foreign affairs ministers to discuss the Afghanistan issue.

In the near future, the foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold an extraordinary meeting, hosted by Pakistan to discuss the Afghanistan issue.

"Our interest is Afghanistan that is inclusive, open, and prosperous because we are aware that it will encourage for a more stable Afghanistan, so forms of interference, such as terrorism, to our country can decrease," Jailani emphasized//ANT