18 Aug 2021; MEMO: EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell has said that the European bloc should talk with the Taliban movement in Afghanistan because it won the war there, Anadolu has reported.
"The Taliban has won the war, so we will have to talk with it, in order to engage in a dialogue as soon as necessary to prevent a humanitarian and a potential migratory disaster as well as a humanitarian crisis," Borrell said on Tuesday evening following a meeting of EU foreign ministers. The bloc will deal with "the Afghan authorities such as they are" but will remain "vigilant."
He explained, however, that the EU will not cooperate with the new Afghan government "unless it provides a peaceful and comprehensive settlement and respects the fundamental rights of all Afghans, including women, youth and people belonging to minorities."
The bloc's most urgent priority, added Borrell, is to ensure the safe departure of EU citizens and Afghans who have worked with the bloc or its member states for the past 20 years.
The senior official also announced that the EU will suspend development payments to Afghanistan until it can "clarify the situation" with the Taliban.
European Union interior ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday to discuss the bloc's approach to a potential migration crisis.
