After the withdrawal of the foreign troops, the radical Islamist Taliban want to establish a “real Islamic system” in Afghanistan in which the rights of women and minorities are protected in this sense. The Taliban felt obliged to uphold all rights of Afghan citizens, men and women, in accordance with religious rules and cultural traditions, said the politburo head of the extremists, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in a statement on Sunday. In addition, "facilities" are provided for women for an opportunity to work and train. Foreign diplomats and aid workers should also be able to work safely.
"A real Islamic system is the best way to solve all Afghans' problems," said the Taliban representative.
The specific questions should be discussed during the peace negotiations with the Afghan government in Doha.
Participation in the negotiations already shows that the Taliban are interested in a solution through mutual understanding.
The negotiations in Qatar's capital have recently made slow progress, while the violence in Afghanistan increased dramatically before the withdrawal of foreign troops planned by September 11th.
The Taliban have been accused of not having submitted a written peace proposal that could serve as a starting point for substantive talks.
It is feared that the Islamists will undo much of the progress made on civil rights when they come back to power. The rights of women and girls in particular are seen as being at risk. Before being overthrown by the US-led military alliance in late 2001, the Taliban ruled with an extreme interpretation of Islamic law that excluded girls from school and women from work outside their home. Women were not allowed to go out in public without a male relative.