Qatar foreign minister says he urged Taliban to respect women's rights

FILE PHOTO: Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani attends talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not seen) in Moscow, Russia September 11, 2021. Alexander Nemenov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

DUBAI (Reuters) -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.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani was speaking in a joint news conference with French foreign minister 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.