EU Hosts Taliban Officials for Talks on Migrant Returns
The technical meeting focused on deporting failed asylum seekers and readmission, as rights groups warned it could legitimize the Taliban.
- On Tuesday, Taliban representatives met European Union officials in Brussels for the first time, discussing repatriation of failed asylum seekers in what Brussels described as "limited talks" with Afghanistan's "de facto authorities."
- Member states struggle to deport failed asylum seekers "who commit crimes or are deemed dangerous," with less than 30 percent of those ordered to leave actually returning to their country of origin.
- Co-Chaired by Sweden, the "technical level meeting" included representatives from 15 European Union member states, while Belgium issued Taliban delegates five one-day visas valid only for Belgian soil.
- Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai called the visit a "slap in the face," while Amnesty International activists alleged the European Union was "undermining their credibility" by engaging with the regime.
- Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi emphasized "the need for trust-building measures" and consular services, though critics argue the Taliban primarily seek international legitimacy rather than technical cooperation.
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70 Articles
The EU Commission: comparison that concerns only persons responsible for serious crime. The International Federation for Human Rights: "So is legitimate the regime of the Taliban"
Representatives of the Islamist Taliban from Afghanistan have been welcomed by the EU Commission for talks in Brussels for the first time since they took power. A Commission spokesman said that it had gone to their home country at "technical level" for deportations of Afghans. Amnesty International activists demonstrated in front of the Commission's headquarters.
The Commission and 15 countries welcome a regime delegation to negotiate and accelerate the deportation of Afghans who "have committed serious crimes or pose a threat to security" Read
A Taliban delegation held talks with the EU in Brussels today to speed up the return of rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan. The visit is unprecedented and has been strongly criticized by human rights groups. The European Commission invited the five-member delegation to the talks as part of a push to curb illegal migration and increase deportations – despite the EU not recognizing the...
According to Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), the consultations between Belgium, other EU member states, and representatives of the Taliban regime proceeded “positively and constructively.” She stated that the “necessary elements” are now on the table to take further steps regarding the return of Afghans without residence permits. The dossier is being prepared for the Council of Ministers with the aim of enabling “e…
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