After his visit to Qatar, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will meet with representatives of 20 US partners in Germany on Wednesday. They will talk about the interim Afghan government announced by the Taliban on Tuesday.
Minister Blinken will visit the US military base in Ramstein, western Germany. Al-Qaeda is currently operating as a US center for the evacuation of Afghan refugees after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. There he will also meet with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Together, they will lead a digital meeting with ministers from twenty allies on the path to follow in Afghanistan.
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The United States is likely to use the meeting as an opportunity to support international appeals reminding the Taliban of their pledge to release Afghans who wish to leave Afghanistan. It is likely to be dealing with the Taliban government, which has neither women nor non-Taliban members, but an interior minister wanted by the United States on terrorism charges.
Qatar: The Taliban are pragmatic and must be judged by their actions
The Taliban have shown pragmatism and should be judged by the de facto rulers of Afghanistan by their actions. A representative of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Agence France-Presse. Qatar plays the role of a neutral and influential mediator between the Taliban and the West.
“They have shown a great deal of pragmatism,” spokesman and Deputy Foreign Minister Lulwa al-Khater said of the Taliban. Al-Khater advised Western interlocutors not to choose sentimentality but rather rationality and convince the Taliban of the benefits of holding talks. “They are the actual rulers, there is no doubt about that,” she continued. “We are not pushing for recognition” of the new regime, she asserted, but Al-Khater said Qatar would not stop talking to the Taliban if they did not keep their promises.
As a sign of Taliban goodwill, Al-Khater indicated that they did not oppose the departure of more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan and that some ministries, such as the Ministry of Health, were operating normally. “Doctors and nurses can assume their responsibilities,” Al-Khater said. She also noted that it is not only the Taliban, but also logistical problems and heavy traditions that make it difficult for Afghan women to work.
