Doha

In first face-to-face talks since the US withdrawal, the Taliban warned the United States not to "destabilise" the regime, its foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Saturday.  

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After talks in Doha, Muttaqi told the Afghan state news agency Bakhtar, "We clearly told them that trying to destabilise the government in Afghanistan is good for no one."  

In a recorded statement, the minister said, "Good relations with Afghanistan are good for everyone. Nothing should be done to weaken the existing government in Afghanistan, which can lead to problems for the people."  

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The remarks came as Taliban is holding two-day talks with a US team led by the State Department's Deputy Special Representative Tom West and top USAID humanitarian official Sarah Charles.  

There was no immediate comment available from the US side.  

Meanwhile, the US delegation is hoping that they will be able to press Taliban to work on providing proper human rights and freedom to women and minority groups in the war-torn country.  

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"We will press the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans, including women and girls, and to form an inclusive government with broad support," the spokesperson of State Department said on Friday.   

"As Afghanistan faces the prospect of a severe economic contraction and possible humanitarian crisis, we will also press the Taliban to allow humanitarian agencies free access to areas of need," the spokesperson added.  

The delegation will also urge Taliban to let the US citizens and US allies leave Afghanistan peacefully and unharmed whenever these people wish to in the future.   

(With inputs from agencies)