Dominic Raab has said the UK must work with the Taliban on resolving the crisis in Afghanistan but there are no plans to formally recognise their Government.
The Foreign Secretary said there was a need for "direct engagement" with the militants as the UK battles to evacuate British nationals and vulnerable Afghans left behind when Western forces quit the country.
In a boost to evacuation efforts, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani signalled that a timetable for reopening Kabul airport could be revealed within days.
Mr Raab flew out to Qatar for talks on securing safe passage for those remaining in Afghanistan, as he faced mounting criticism over his handling of the crisis.
Qatar is a key regional power broker and now hosts the British embassy for Afghanistan.
Get a daily morning politics briefing straight to your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror Politics newsletter
Mr Raab told a press conference in Doha, Qatar: "We are pragmatic and realistic. We don't recognise governments, we will not be recognising the Taliban.
"But we do see the need to be able to have direct engagement otherwise we can't provide messages, we can't listen to the response."
He said there was a need to "exert the maximum moderating influence" on the Taliban as they "adjust to the new reality" of the Taliban in power.
He added: "The reality is we will not be recognising the Taliban any time in the foreseeable future but I think there is an important scope for engagement and dialogue."
Speaking alongside Mr Raab, Sheikh Mohammed expressed hope that Kabul airport could be reopened to help those trying to flee the Taliban.
He said: “We are still in the evaluation process, there is no clear indication when it is going to be fully operational yet.
"But we are working very hard and also engaging with (the) Taliban to identify what are the gaps and the risks for having the airport back up and running.
"But we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible.
"It's very important and a very strong statement if Taliban will demonstrate their commitment to provide safe passage and freedom of movement for the people of Afghanistan. We are trying our best to help serving that interest.”
He added: "Hopefully in the next few days we will hear some good news.”
Mr Raab, who flew to the Middle East overnight straight after a 109-minute mauling from MPs on the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, was asked whether he felt “guilty” about the Afghans who helped UK forces during the 20-year deployment to the war-ravaged nation, but whom British troops left behind as the Taliban swept back to power, along with hundreds of UK nationals.
The Foreign Secretary said: “I do think we feel a responsibility to make sure that the remaining British nationals Afghan workers can come to the UK.
"That's why we watch with great interest what may be possible at Kabul airport.”
Mr Raab is expected to fly to other countries in the region during his trip, including Pakistan.
He said countries “need to put a grouping together that can exert maximum moderating influence on what the Taliban does next”.
But the Foreign Secretary admitted: “We need to adjust to the new reality.”
More details emerged of a leaked Foreign Office document which warned Kabul could fall to the Taliban amid “rapid advances” by the militants.
It warned: “These developments could directly undermine FCDO objectives by reducing UK counter-terrorism capability, and increasing compliance risks; enabling the flow of narcotics and illegal migration; increasing global humanitarian pressures; reducing oversight of HMG funding; destabilising the wider region, especially Pakistan; damaging the reputation of the UK and Nato; and increasing threats to staff for whom FCDO has a duty of care."
