BRUSSELS (TASS): The European Union maintains technical contacts with the Taliban movement, but does not conduct political negotiations and does not intend to recognize it. This was announced on Saturday by the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen after visiting a temporary reception center for Afghan refugees located in Spain. The press conference was broadcast by the press service of the European Commission.
“The European Union maintains operational contacts with the Taliban, they are necessary to save lives. But we are not talking abo-ut any political negotiations or recognition,” she said.
Also, Ursula informed that the European Comm-ission intends to expand the humanitarian aid package for Afghanistan beyond the planned € 57 million in 2021, at the same time Brussels announced a freeze of the € 1 billion economic aid package for Afghanistan, calculated for the next seven years.
“The European Commis-sion intends to expand the humanitarian aid package for Afghanistan beyond the planned € 57 million, concrete proposals will follow soon,” von der Leyen said.
However, she stressed that the EU will freeze a package of economic aid to Afghanistan in the amount of € 1 billion, calculated for the next seven years, and will not direct it until representatives of the Taliban “begin to respect human, minority and women’s rights.”
The number of internal refugees in Afghanistan already reaches 3.7 million people, 80% of them are women and girls, stated Ursula.
“In Afghanistan, 3.7 million people have already become refugees, 80% of them are women and girls,” she said.
The EU organizes legal and safe routes for refugees from Afghanistan. Also, the European Union will propose to consider at the G7 meeting next week an international scheme for receiving and accommodating refugees.
“We will propose to consider at the G7 next week an international scheme for receiving and accommodating refugees from Afghanistan,” she said.
