The following is the text of a joint statement on Afghanistan released by the United States and the following nations: Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta , Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Yemen.
Given the deteriorating security situation, we support, are working to secure, and call on all parties to respect and facilitate, the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the country. Those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility—and accountability—for the protection of human life and property, and for the immediate restoration of security and civil order.
Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so; roads, airports and border crossing must remain open, and calm must be maintained.
The Afghan people deserve to live in safety, security and dignity. We in the international community stand ready to assist them.
JUST IN: Joint Statement from the Department of State and Department of Defense as Afghanistan Rapidly Falls To The Taliban – https://t.co/Lh9kFkAYcK pic.twitter.com/KNOyOa6zpB
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 16, 2021
‘You keep changing the subject’: CNN’s Jake Tapper grills Sec. Blinken on Afghanistan – https://t.co/Y7qwiHbncy pic.twitter.com/dTpeKVjRYg
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 15, 2021
