Thread by @AfghanHistorian

Happy Holidays from Afghan Historian!

Members of the Taliban in front of a #Christmas tree at the Texas home of UNOCAL’s Vice President in December 1997. UNOCAL [Union Oil Company of California] was acquired by Chevron in 2005. Taliban also made a stop in Washington DC. Thread:

Dec 8, 1997: "Acting Minister of Mines & Industry" Ahmad Jan, "Acting Minister of Information & Culture" Amir Khan Mottaqi & "Acting Minister of Planning" Din Mohammad (ethnic Tajik) meet with American diplomats Karl Inderfurth & Michael Malinowski.

Mottaqi asked to be friends..

U.S. diplomat Karl Inderfurth pushed back on women's education. Mottaqi "repeated, however, that the Taliban did not wish to stop female education. Inderfurth responded that we were extremely concerned about this point & declared that men & women should have equal opportunities..

Then on negotiating with Dostum.

Mottaqi agreed Taliban favored talks and sent important people but North responded with "low-level people without authority or creative ideas." Mottaqi brought up mass killing of Taliban in 1997.

Remember, UNOCAL pipeline needs the North too..

About the "UNOCAL Pipeline:

Acting Minister of Mines & Industry Ahmad Jan said the commencement of the project would give an incentive to the peace process and "Afghan Central Bank would guarantee investment." Diplomat Malinowski (now a Congressman) said there had to be peace.

Before American diplomat Inderfurth leaves for another meeting, Mottaqi asks for the U.S. Embassy to open in Kabul. [You are basically reading today's Taliban talking points, same thing is likely being said behind closed doors in Qatar]. Diplomat Malinowski takes over the meeting

On terrorism:
Mottaqi (now Min of Foreign Affairs) said Bin Laden & others damaged image of AFG

Din Mohammad (Min of Economy) said Bin Laden would go to Iran if expelled

Ahmad Jan (Haqqani Spiritual leader) said Taliban didn't invite Bin Laden, he was guest of previous regime