EU confirms invitation to Taliban representatives for Brussels talks

The European Commission has sent an invitation to representatives of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan for a possible meeting in Brussels on the issue of returning Afghan citizens who do not have the right to stay in the European Union, the official spokesperson of the European Commission, Markus Lammert, told a briefing in Brussels, Report informs.

According to Lammert, the letter was sent by the EU Directorate-General for Home Affairs jointly with the Swedish Ministry of Justice. The matter concerns "a meeting at a technical level," and this would be a follow-up meeting to a technical meeting in Afghanistan that took place in January this year.

According to him, the initiative comes from 20 EU countries and associated Schengen area states, which last year asked the European Commission to coordinate contacts with Afghan authorities on the issue of migrant returns.

Lammert emphasized that the discussion primarily concerns individuals who "pose a security threat." At the same time, he categorically rejected claims that a possible meeting in Brussels and the arrival of Taliban movement representatives could be regarded as recognition of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan by the European Union.

"The EU is mandated by the Council to maintain operational engagement with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan. This does not by any means constitute a recognition," he stated.

The matter provoked a sharp reaction from journalists at the briefing, who repeatedly asked why the European Commission had refused for more than three weeks to confirm preparations for the meeting, who exactly had been invited to Brussels, and why the negotiations were being held on EU territory.

In response to questions, Lammert declined to specify which particular structures of the Afghan authorities the invitation had been sent to and who would cover the costs of the delegation's possible visit to Brussels.