The European Commission welcomed the Taliban delegation in Brussels and is negotiating the deportation of Afghans from the EU. The meeting provoked sharp opposition from human rights activists.
On Tuesday, the European Commission (EC) welcomed representatives of the Afghan government movement Taliban in Brussels, with whom it conducted negotiations on the deportation of Afghan citizens. TASR informs about it according to AFP and DPA agencies.
“The meetings were constructive and there is hope that they will lead to positive developments,” an Afghan official said on condition of anonymity.
Deportation negotiations
An unnamed source of the AFP agency confirmed that the Taliban delegation was led by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdal Khar Balchi, and included representatives of the Afghan Ministry of the Interior.
The EC invited representatives from Afghanistan to Brussels in May based on the request of 20 member states of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen area for consultations aimed at deporting a larger number of Afghans who do not have the right to stay in the EU.
Focus on security threats
“These member states are focusing on the repatriation of people who have committed serious crimes or pose a security threat,” EC spokesman Markus Lammert said before the talks without elaborating.
The visit by Taliban officials has drawn strong opposition from human rights activists who say it is at odds with EU values.
Sharp criticism from activists
“The Taliban erased women and girls from public life,” said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. According to her, the invitation from the EU “shocked and deeply disturbed (her)”.
Tuesday’s visit followed the first meeting between the Taliban and EU officials, which took place in January in Afghanistan.
