EU representatives receive Taliban in Brussels for the first time

migration

EU representatives receive Taliban in Brussels for the first time

Germany and other EU states want more deportations to Afghanistan. Brussels is supposed to support this – and is entering politically controversial territory.

Representatives of the Islamist Taliban are in for the first time since they came to power Afghanistan almost five years ago by the EU Commission for talks Brussels been received. The exchange at a “technical level” concerned the deportations of Afghans to their homeland, as the European Commission confirmed. The authorities emphasized that the talks did not amount to recognition of the Taliban.

The aim of the talks was to enable more returns of Afghan nationals from the EU who have committed crimes and pose a security risk. The Afghan Foreign Ministry said it was a “historic trip” and spoke of “productive discussions.” The main topic was the resumption of comprehensive consular services for Afghans in Europe.

The contacts are controversial because of the ongoing human rights violations by the Taliban, who have been back in power since 2021. The group is accused of arbitrarily arresting and torturing people, as well as oppressing women and denying them education. Freedom of the press is severely restricted.

In May, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also expressed concern about plans by various EU member states to increase deportations to Afghanistan. These could weaken human rights and expose people to danger.

According to the EU Commission, representatives from 15 member states also took part in the talks. In response to a dpa inquiry, the Federal Ministry of the Interior said that Germany was not involved due to its own bilateral technical discussions, but welcomed the initiative from Brussels.

Germany also officially recognizes the in Kabul ruling Islamist group, but is also holding technical talks with its representatives to facilitate further deportations of criminals to Afghanistan.

For this purpose, up to four more Taliban diplomats are to come to Germany Federal Government confirmed on Monday. More identities would have to be established and passports issued, so additional Afghan consular officers would be needed, said a spokesman for the Foreign Office Berlin. Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) declared at the weekend that it wanted to deport more regularly and more to Afghanistan.

There was a first meeting on the topic in Kabul in January. 20 European states – including Germany – had previously asked the EU Commission to help coordinate deportations to Afghanistan.

The Brussels authority chooses the term “technical level” because the EU does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and, according to the information, it is not the political leaders who exchange information, but rather officials at a specialist level.

A meeting between Taliban representatives and EU officials in Europe is politically sensitive because it could be used as a diplomatic gain by the Taliban leadership in their own country. The group is trying to gain recognition through deportation deals with European countries.