Fifth, we’ll keep centered on counterterrorism. The Taliban has made a dedication to forestall terrorist teams from utilizing Afghanistan as a base for exterior operations that would threaten the USA or our allies, together with Al Qaeda and the Taliban’s sworn enemy, ISIS-Okay. Right here, too, we’ll maintain them accountable to that dedication. However whereas now we have expectations of the Taliban, that doesn’t imply we’ll depend on the Taliban. We’ll stay vigilant in monitoring threats ourselves and can preserve strong counterterrorism capabilities within the area to neutralize these threats if needed, as we demonstrated previously few days by placing ISIS facilitators and imminent threats in Afghanistan — and as we do in locations all over the world the place we shouldn’t have army forces on the bottom.
Let me converse on to our engagement with the Taliban throughout these and different points. We engaged with the Taliban through the previous few weeks to allow our evacuation operations. Going ahead, any engagement with a Taliban-led authorities in Kabul shall be pushed by one factor solely: our very important nationwide pursuits. If we will work with the brand new Afghan authorities in a method that helps safe these pursuits, together with the protected return of Mark Frerichs, a U.S. citizen who has been held hostage within the area since early final yr, and in a method that brings higher stability to the nation and area and protects the beneficial properties of the previous twenty years, we’ll do it.
However we is not going to do it on the idea of belief or religion. Each step we take shall be based mostly not on what the Taliban-led authorities says however what it does to stay as much as its commitments. The Taliban seeks worldwide legitimacy and help. Our message is any legitimacy and any help should be earned. The Taliban can try this by assembly commitments and obligations on freedom of journey, respecting the fundamental rights of the Afghan individuals, together with ladies and minorities, upholding its commitments on counterterrorism, not finishing up reprisal violence towards those that select to remain in Afghanistan, and forming an inclusive authorities that may meet the wants and replicate the aspirations of the Afghan individuals.
Sixth, we’ll proceed our humanitarian help to the individuals of Afghanistan. The battle has taken a horrible toll on the Afghan individuals. Thousands and thousands are internally displaced. Thousands and thousands are dealing with starvation, even hunger. The Covid-19 pandemic has additionally hit Afghanistan laborious. America will proceed to help humanitarian assist to the Afghan individuals. In keeping with our sanctions on the Taliban, the help is not going to movement by means of the federal government however quite by means of unbiased organizations corresponding to U.N. businesses and N.G.O.s. And we count on that these efforts is not going to be impeded by the Taliban or anybody else.
And seventh, we’ll proceed our broad worldwide diplomacy throughout all these points and lots of others. We imagine we will accomplish much more and exert far higher leverage after we work in coordination with our allies and companions. Over the past two weeks, we’ve had a sequence of intensive diplomatic engagements with allies and companions to plan and coordinate the best way forward in Afghanistan. I met with the overseas ministers of NATO and the G7. I’ve spoken one-on-one with dozens of my counterparts.
Final week, president Biden met with the leaders of the G7 international locations, and Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman has been convening a bunch of 28 allies and companions from all areas of the world each different day. Going ahead, we’ll coordinate intently with international locations within the area and all over the world in addition to with main organizations, N.G.O.s and the personal sector. Our allies and companions share our goals and are dedicated to working with us. I’ll have extra to say on these issues within the coming days.
The primary level I need to drive residence right here as we speak is that America’s work in Afghanistan continues. Now we have a plan for what’s subsequent. We’re placing it into motion. This second additionally calls for reflection. The struggle in Afghanistan was a 20-year endeavor. We should study its classes, and permit these classes to form how we take into consideration elementary questions of nationwide safety and overseas coverage. We owe that to future diplomats, policymakers, army leaders, service members. We owe that to the American individuals.