Belgium issues visas to Taliban delegation for EU meeting
The meeting will focus on migration returns, and Belgium approved five visas after security checks found no threat, officials said.
- On Monday, Belgium granted five restricted visas to a Taliban delegation for a mission to the European Commission, allowing entry only to Belgium for a single day.
- The Commission announced in May its "intention to invite Taliban officials to Brussels in the near future for discussions concerning the return of migrants to Afghanistan." Officials emphasize these technical talks address migration issues rather than recognizing the Taliban government.
- Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot opposed inviting the representatives but stated Belgium could not refuse the request, as the government was acting on a request linked to official European Union business.
- Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International argue that engaging with the Taliban risks undermining the European Union's commitment to human rights, citing severe restrictions on women and girls.
- Increasing pressure to tighten migration policies across the European Union drives these talks, as member states push for greater cooperation on returning Afghan nationals while the United Nations reports Afghanistan faces severe food insecurity.
122 Articles
122 Articles
For the first time, the EU welcomed Taliban representatives to Brussels to discuss the removal of Afghan nationals. NGOs slammed the decisionA visa for one day and only for Belgium. On Tuesday, five Taliban officials arrived in Brussels to discuss with the European Commission the return of Afghan exiles to their country of origin, before leaving. Just announced, this delegation had made a big noise and triggered a heated controversy, fueled for …
Germany and other EU countries want more deportations to Afghanistan. Brussels is supposed to support this – and is entering politically controversial territory.The EU Commission received representatives of the Islamist Taliban for talks in Brussels for the first time since they took power in Afghanistan just five years ago. The exchange at "technical level" was about the deportations of Afghans to their homeland, as the European Commission conf…
saarbruecker-zeitung.de
HandelsblattGermany and other EU countries want more deportations to Afghanistan. Brussels is supposed to support this - and set out on politically controversial terrain.
'Unconscionable': Human rights activist decry EU visas for Taliban officials
Since its return to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has steadily rolled back on women’s rights, banning girls from age 13 from attending school, legalizing domestic violence and child marriage.
Despite ongoing human rights violations by the Taliban, a controversial meeting of the terrorist organisation and the EU Commission has taken place in Brussels. The aim of the talks is to enable more return to Afghanistan.
"Technical talks" According to the EU Commission, no recognition of the regime.
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