Qatar aiding Afghanistan evacuation efforts, says foreign minister

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani

REUTERS

Qatar said on Monday it was doing its utmost to help evacuate diplomats and foreign staff in international organisations seeking to leave Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, whose country has been playing a key role in trying to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan, told a news conference in the Jordanian capital that Doha was also seeking a peaceful transition after the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"There is international concern about the fast pace of developments and Qatar is doing its utmost to bring a peaceful transition, especially after the vacuum that happened," Al-Thani said.

Qatar, which has hosted a Taliban office since 2013 for peace talks, was also working to ensure there would be a complete ceasefire across the country and that stability prevailed, he added.

Other Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have yet to comment on the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan.

Bahrain, the current chair of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, said on Monday it would initiate consultations with fellow Gulf states regarding the situation in Afghanistan, state media reported.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting by Maher Chmaytelli in Dubai; editing by Alison Williams and Jason Neely)