“Turkey should be the first country to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” said HÜDA PAR (Free Cause Party) spokesman.

“More than a year has passed since the end of the 20-year US occupation in Afghanistan. The Afghan people, who resisted the occupation, established the Islamic Emirate and have since then been trying to ensure peace and stability in the country, especially the security of life,” Serkan Ramanlı said.

Ramanlı went on to say: “The USA and the Western countries are trying to do with economic and political embargo what they could not do by the force of arms and occupation in Afghanistan. They also usurped billions of dollars of the people of Afghanistan by blocking their bank accounts.”

Ramanlı underlined that Turkey and Afghanistan are two sisterly countries that have long-standing good relations, adding: “Despite this fact, as Turkey does not recognize the Islamic Emirate, unfortunately, it has not even officially started a dialogue. Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made an important call at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Astana, saying, ‘We should not leave Afghanistan to its fate, and we should continue our support as the international community for humanitarian aid’. However, a country cannot stand on its own feet only through humanitarian aid. Turkey should recognize the Afghan government, develop its relations in all areas, especially political and economic, and be an example and pioneer to other Islamic countries in this regard. (ILKHA)