DEven after the radical Islamic Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, Germany sought diplomatic representatives in the capital Kabul under certain conditions. The Foreign Minister said: “If it is politically feasible and the security situation allows, then Germany should once again set up its own embassy in Kabul.” Heiko Mars When visiting Qatar on Tuesday. It is currently being closely coordinated, especially with European partners on this topic.
Mas also emphasized that diplomatic representatives do not mean to recognize the Taliban government. “Currently this is not a recognition issue under international law,” he said. “This is about solving very practical problems.” However, the international community will also make demands on those who now rule Afghanistan. Taliban place. “Isolation is not a solution. But recognition is not a priority for us,” Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said after a meeting with Mas.
this Federal government After the Taliban came to power, they closed the embassy in Kabul. All diplomats have since left the country. Marcus Potzer, the former German ambassador to Afghanistan, is currently negotiating with the Taliban in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on the evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan. The Taliban have their political office there, which is equivalent to a kind of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“There is a great need for a diplomatic presence, because we also have a lot of problems in Afghanistan,” Maas emphasized. He mentioned efforts to get former employees of the Bundeswehr and the federal government to leave the country. “We will have to deal with this topic for a long time. That’s why we need contacts.”
However, Mas emphasized that the reopening of the embassy will depend on the specific policies of the Taliban and the security situation. “There is absolutely no way to avoid negotiations with the Taliban. We cannot afford the instability in Afghanistan.” But if the Taliban make demands, such as seeking help, they must also respond to the situation in the international community. For Germany, this includes the recognition of human rights, the formation of an inclusive government, security guarantees, and compliance with the promise of allowing people to leave Afghanistan even after the withdrawal of foreign troops. Germany is willing to provide assistance, which is also necessary to prevent humanitarian disasters in the Central Asian countries in winter. “Everything else will depend on how things develop here and how the Taliban conduct political activities,” Maas emphasized, focusing on the interrupted development cooperation between Germany and other countries.
In Doha, Mas also pointed out that the region and Europe also have different opinions on how to properly deal with the Taliban. In Qatar, the Foreign Minister concluded his five-nation tour to Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Qatar, hoping to facilitate the further evacuation of local staff in Germany and Afghanistan and those in need of protection and their families. It is also by land. After the Doha talks, Maas is optimistic that a solution will be found after August 31. He told ZDF heute magazine: “The Taliban have agreed that Afghans and local workers can leave Afghanistan legally after August 31.” At the same time, he warned that the western states cannot be blackmailed. Mas set the number of German citizens at the scene at about 300.
Currently, only a few countries such as Russia, China and Turkey have embassies in Kabul. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) also stated on Tuesday that he had held talks with France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Italy on the establishment of a diplomatic presence in Kabul in order to be able to “establish a continuous dialogue with the Taliban.” “It just allows diplomats to talk to the Taliban.”
Merkel pointed out that the Taliban will move their presence from Doha to Kabul these days. They are expected to propose to the government soon.
