The US Secretary of State and Defense valued Qatar's support for the evacuations from Afghanistan, and affirmed the Doha-Washington partnership to support security and stability in the region, while the Qatari Foreign Minister confirmed that Kabul Airport is now ready for international flights.

This came during a press conference held on Tuesday morning in the Qatari capital, Doha, for the Qatari Foreign and Defense Ministers Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Khaled Al-Attiyah, and their American counterparts Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin.

Blinken said that the United States is continuing its diplomacy towards Afghanistan and knows that Qatar will be its partner, noting that Washington's relationship with Qatar is strong and will not forget what it has done during the evacuations.

He explained that his country's relations with Qatar are deeper than ever.

The US Secretary of State stressed that the United States' transfer of its diplomatic work from Kabul to Doha was not a coincidence, expressing his deep gratitude to the State of Qatar and its special efforts during the evacuation operations, and he also praised the efforts of Qatar and Turkey to restart Kabul Airport.

And he indicated that in addition to its response to the evacuations, Qatar provided great medical support that contributed to saving lives, saying, "What Qatar did will remain in the memory for a long time. On behalf of the American people, I thank you very much."

Blinken announced that they had contacted the Taliban during the last hours, as the movement indicated the possibility of leaving those with travel documents, noting that the number of American citizens who remained in Afghanistan reached 100 people.

He also announced Washington's determination to continue providing assistance to the Afghan people in line with existing sanctions.

Blinken: Qatar provided great medical support that contributed to saving lives (Al Jazeera)

gratitude and thanks

In the same context, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated that Qatar contributed to saving thousands of lives, and Washington would not have achieved the evacuation from Afghanistan without it.

He expressed his confidence in Qatar's standing with the United States in supporting security and peace in the region, and his pride in what the American soldiers had done during the evacuation operations under difficult circumstances.

He said that the United States completed the largest evacuation operation in its history, which included the evacuation of more than 124,000 people from Afghanistan, and thanked the State of Qatar for its support and assistance.

And he indicated that identifying any threats originating from Afghanistan will be difficult, but he affirmed his commitment to the need to address them, stressing that Washington continues to work with its regional partners to reduce conflicts and reduce tensions.

The four ministers before the start of the press conference (French)

Evacuation and partnership

For his part, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that the discussions with the US foreign and defense ministers focused on the evacuations from Afghanistan, stressing the importance of opening humanitarian corridors, pointing to the evacuation of about 58,000 people from Afghanistan through Qatar.

During the joint press conference between the foreign and defense ministers of Qatar and the United States, the Qatari minister called on the Taliban to facilitate aid access to Afghanistan.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani affirmed the Doha-Washington partnership to support security and stability in the region, indicating that the United States is the most important partner for Qatar, and this relationship has existed for decades.

He expressed his hope that there will be a better future prospects for Afghanistan and an effective participatory government.

Regarding the situation at Kabul Airport, the Qatari Foreign Minister said that the airport will be ready for international flights within a short period, noting that what has been repaired inside Kabul Airport makes it navigable, adding that the matter needs an agreement to operate it.

As for Qatari Defense Minister Khaled Al-Attiyah, he said that during the meeting with the US foreign and defense ministers, they discussed the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, in addition to technical work at Kabul International Airport after the US withdrawal.

Aid Arrival

On the other hand, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a press statement that Washington has serious concerns about the impact of its sanctions on humanitarian aid access to Afghanistan.

Psaki confirmed that the US president signed an exception for the Office of Foreign Assets Control to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches through trusted organizations such as the World Food Program.

Psaki said Washington is using its presence in Qatar to see what it can do to operate Kabul and other regional airports in Afghanistan, as this will help complete the exit of those who want to leave, including the remaining American citizens.

She said that the US Secretary of State is on the ground in Qatar to follow up the efforts regarding the remaining citizens.

In the same context, the Washington Post said that the White House asked Congress on Tuesday for $6.4 billion to cover the costs of the ongoing process of resettling tens of thousands of Afghans who cooperated with the United States during the war in Afghanistan.

The newspaper pointed out that the funding will be distributed mainly between the Ministries of State and Defense, and another part of it will be allocated to the US Agency for International Development.

According to the newspaper, the administration's request for more funding to resettle Afghan evacuees is likely to spark a major debate in Congress.


Updates and understandings

The Amiri Diwan announced on Monday evening that Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed the latest developments in the Afghan issue with the US foreign and defense ministers.

The Qatar News Agency said that the two American ministers conveyed President Joe Biden's thanks to Sheikh Tamim for Qatar's role in the evacuation operations in Afghanistan and its support for the peace process, in addition to Doha's hosting of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban, noting the close partnership between the two countries and the diplomatic role of the State of Qatar, which contributes to maintaining security. and peace regionally and internationally.

The United States had earlier expressed its gratitude for the cooperation of the State of Qatar on Afghanistan and its indispensable support in the evacuation process.

On Monday, Kabul Airport received a new Qatari plane carrying humanitarian aid, as the Qatari government announced the operation of an air bridge to transport humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.

Qatari Ambassador to Afghanistan Saeed bin Mubarak Al-Khayarin said that the Qatari technical team is putting the final touches to the resumption of international flights from Kabul Airport, noting that the announcement will be made soon and in coordination with the Afghan side.