Qatar Foreign Minister says he urged Taliban to respect women's rights

Qatar's Foreign Minister said on Monday the Gulf state has urged Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers to respect women's rights and that it was still too early to consider recognising their government.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani was speaking in a joint press conference with French foreign minister HE Jean-Yves Le Drian in Doha. Le Drian said dozens of French nationals are still in Afghanistan and Paris is working with Qatar to evacuate them. "We have always urged the Taliban and the government, we reiterated that yesterday, that the Afghan people's gains must be protected including women's rights and their role in the development of Afghanistan," Sheikh Mohammed said.