Taliban to meet EU officials on Tuesday: Acting FM

AFP , Monday 11 Oct 2021

A Taliban delegation will meet European Union representatives in Doha on Tuesday, acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said, following their first face-to-face talks with the United States.

Amir khan Muttaqi
File Photo: Afghanistan s acting Foreign Minister Amir khan Muttaqi speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry of Afghanistan in Kabul on September 14, 2021. (AFP)

The Afghans have already met with German government officials and a British parliamentarian, Muttaqi said at an event organised by Qatar's Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies on Monday.

"Tomorrow we are meeting the EU representatives. We are having positive meetings with representatives of other countries," he said in the Qatari capital.

"We want positive relationships with the whole world. We believe in balanced international relations. We believe such a balanced relationship can save Afghanistan from instability," Muttaqi added.

The hardline Islamists' diplomatic push follows their return to power in August as the US abruptly ended its 20-year occupation of Afghanistan.

On Saturday and Sunday, they held their first in-person talks with US officials since returning to power. The American side stressed that the meetings did not amount to recognition of the Taliban government.

Afghanistan's economy is teetering on the brink of collapse, with international aid cut off, food prices rising and unemployment spiking.

The Taliban's efforts to consolidate their rule have also been undermined by a series of attacks by the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), who claimed a bombing of a Shia mosque that left more than 60 people dead on Friday.

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