More Details on Afghanistan Embassy Closure in India
DID Press: Afghanistan Republic ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay announced reasons behind permanent closure of Afghanistan embassy in New Delhi.
Publishing a statement on Saturday, Mamundzay said the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi regrets to announce the permanent closure of its
diplomatic mission in New Delhi, effective from 23 November 2023, owing to persistent challenges from the Indian government.
“This decision follows the embassy’s earlier cessation of operations on 30th Sep 2023, a move made in the hope that the Indian government’s stance
would evolve favourably for the normal continuation of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi,” read the statement. “Unfortunately, despite an eight-week wait, the objectives of visa extension for diplomats and a shift in the Indian government’s conduct were not realised.”
The statement added that given the constant pressure from both the Taliban and the Indian government to relinquish control, the embassy faced a difficult choice.
Mamundzay further said that “India has been a steadfast strategic partner of the erstwhile Afghan Republic since 2001, and we acknowledge the limitations and concerns that
govern the realm of realpolitik and the balancing act required at a difficult time in a geo-politically sensitive region”.
“Therefore, we firmly believe that the decision to close the mission in India at this stage and to transfer of the custodial authority of the mission to
the host country is in the best interest of Afghanistan,” the statement underlined.
In this challenging time for Afghanistan, where millions suffer because of poverty and socio-economic and political exclusion, the Embassy said it implores the Indian government to consider the following requests:
- Under the provisions of the vienna convention of 1961, the embassy respectfully calls on the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to assume custodial responsibility of the embassy properties, assets and bank accounts of the mission.
- The embassy kindly requests permission to hoist Afghanistan tricolor flag over the mission properties during this period.
- We earnestly implore the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safekeepong of the embassy’s property and assets, with the understanding that they will be entrusted to a legitimate accountable government chosen by the Afghan people in the future.
The statement further stressed that while some may attempt to charactrize as an internal conflict, allegedly involving diplomats who switched allegiance to the Taliban, we emphasize that this decision is a result of broader changes in policy and interest”.
According the statement, the embassy exerted diplomatic pressure in their power on those who defy the will of the Afghan people by failing to form an inclusive government and denying millions of girls the right to attend school.
