Taliban also re-committed to allowing Afghans and foreigners to leave if they wish so
\n Kabul
\nThe Taliban asked for help in keeping Afghanistan\u2019s airports running in weekend talks with EU officials that also raised \u201cgrave concern\u201d about the humanitarian situation in their country, according to an EU statement late Sunday.
\nBoth sides sent senior officials to the Qatari capital Doha for the talks, which happened just ahead of two weeks of negotiations between the US and the Taliban due to start Monday, also in Doha.
\nThe EU\u2019s European External Action Service (EEAS) said in its statement that \u201cthe dialogue does not imply recognition by the EU of the interim (Taliban) government but is part of EU\u2019s operational engagement, in the interest of the EU and the Afghan people\u201d.
\nThe Taliban delegation was led by interim foreign minister Amir Khan Mutaqqi, accompanied by the interim ministers for education and health, the acting central bank governor, and officials from the foreign, finance and interior ministries and the intelligence directorate.
\nThe EU side was headed by the EU special envoy for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson, with officials from the EEAS and the European Commission\u2019s service handling humanitarian aid, international partnerships, and migration.
\nThe EU statement said the Taliban vowed to stick by its promise of \u201camnesty\u201d for Afghans who had worked against it during the two decades of Western-oriented rule up to the hasty exit and evacuation by the US and its allies in August.
\nThe Taliban side also re-committed to allowing Afghans and foreigners to leave if they wish so, but \u201crequested assistance for maintaining operations of airports\u201d so that could happen.
\n\u201cThe two sides expressed grave concern about the worsening humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as winter is arriving,\u201d the statement said, adding that the EU would continue supplying humanitarian aid.
\nThe EU side pressed the Taliban to create an \u201cinclusive government\u201d, foster democracy, ensure girls had equal access to schooling, and prevent Afghanistan serving as a base for any group \u201cthat threatens the security of others\u201d.
\nIt also suggested that, if the Taliban met EU conditions, that could unlock extra financing for Afghanistan\u2019s cash-strapped new rulers but only \u201cfor the direct benefit of the Afghan people\u201d.
\nThe Taliban reiterated they would uphold human rights \u201cin line with Islamic principles\u201d and would welcome back diplomatic missions that had closed, according to the statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Taliban also re-committed to allowing Afghans and foreigners to leave if they wish so Kabul The Taliban asked for help in keeping Afghanistan\u2019s airports running in weekend talks with EU officials that also raised \u201cgrave concern\u201d about the humanitarian situation in their country, according to an EU statement late Sunday. Both sides sent senior officials […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-230068","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n