Kabul, Sep 2 (Agency) A new government in Afghanistan is to be formed soon, but it will not comprise female ministers, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. “We will form a new government of national unity as soon as possible. We would like to create a lean government with only half the number of previous ministries,” Mujahid told Italy’s la Repubblica newspaper, adding that women cannot serve as ministers under Quran and Sharia, but can work in ministries, police and courts as assistants. Afghan women will not be barred from attending universities either, Mujahid stated. Speaking of the resistance in the Panjshir province, he said peace negotiations have not yielded any results. As for international ties, the Taliban sees China as the main partner that is “ready to invest in Afghanistan and rebuild the country.”
“China is our pass to the world’s markets,” Mujahid said. Though it may seem so, but relations with Russia have not deteriorated, as the country plays a crucial role in the region, the spokesmen contented. Ties with Moscow are mostly political and economic, and Russia contributes to creating conditions for international peace, according to the Taliban representative. Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul on August 15, many countries have evacuated their embassies and diplomatic staff. Some nations opted to relocate their diplomatic missions to safer nearby states such as Turkey or Qatar. The embassies of Russia and China continue their operations in the Afghan capital.