Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud has said that Afghanistan's stability was of utmost concern to the international community and the country should not become a source of transnational terrorism. He also said international aid to Afghanistan should continue and not be affected by other concerns with regards to the Taliban, adding that "engagement and cooperation" will encourage good behavior (from the Taliban).

“The Taliban has a responsibility to exercise good judgment and good governance, to be inclusive, to bring in all people in Afghanistan, and to forge a path that can lead to stability, security, and prosperity,” Prince Faisal, who was on a three-day visit to India, was quoted as saying in an interview to The Hindu.  He had held extensive talks about bilateral and regional issues with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with focus on Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific.

On Saudi relations with the Taliban, he said, “We hadn’t been in contact with the Taliban for many years and that was a policy decision we took then that they must completely renounce any connection to transnational terrorism.” 

Significantly, in the late 90s, Saudi Arabia was one of three countries that recognized the Taliban government. However, the Taliban’s ties with al-Qaeda and its leader Osama Bin Laden soured that relationship. Riyadh later broke off diplomatic ties with the Taliban-led Kabul government when the latter refused to hand over bin Laden, who was involved in several incidents of terrorism inside the kingdom. 

“Our other main priority is security and that it does not become a source of transnational terrorism,” Prince Faisal said while also noting the promises made by the Taliban on terrorism. He said they would work with the international community to make sure the Taliban “adhere” to those promises.

When asked about repeated references to the Jammu and Kashmir by the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation), he said, “we would encourage is that there should be a focus on a path of dialogue and discussion among India and Pakistan to resolve these issues in a way that can settle these concerns permanently.” 

He said Saudi Arabia was always ready to "provide our good offices" for a dialogue between the two countries "but it's up to India and Pakistan to decide when the time is right".

On issues like the status of Muslims and their rights in India--raised repeatedly by Pakistan and occasionally by the OIC - he said he considered these issues India's "domestic affair."

About the $100 investment plan that Saudi Arabia announced in 2019 for India, and whether there was any reassessment, he termed the Covid-19 a challenge in the implementation of those plans. The pandemic, he said, also destabilized the global oil prices. However, he added Saudi “Our priorities.... our excitement about the relationship” with India have not changed and "not only will we achieve the ambitious targets that we have set,  we will also probably exceed them over time". 

 (SAM)