KRANJ (dpa-AFX) – Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has promised the militant Islamist Taliban that Germany will resume the currently stopped development aid payments for Afghanistan. A prerequisite, however, is a government that does not only consist of the Taliban, said the SPD politician on Thursday evening at the beginning of consultations with EU counterparts in Slovenia. In addition, basic human and women’s rights must be protected and Afghanistan must not become a “new haven for terrorism”.
“Most people (…) will not be able to leave Afghanistan because of the closed borders,” said Maas. “That’s why you have to help the people in Afghanistan now, and for that you also have to speak to the Taliban.”
The EU partners called on Maas to pull together on the issue. “There is a new reality in Afghanistan – whether we like it or not. And now we don’t have time to lick the wounds,” he said. If the European Union wanted to play a role, we had to act quickly now. Maas was alluding to the fact that China, for example, could expand power and influence in the region.
The deliberations of the foreign ministers are due to end this Friday afternoon. In addition to Afghanistan, dealing with China should also be an issue./aha/DP/mis
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