Status: 08/31/2021 2:05 p.m.
In order to enable as many people in need of protection as possible to leave the country, the West is looking for ways to speak to the Taliban, according to Chancellor Merkel. Foreign Minister Maas is trying to win over Afghanistan’s neighboring countries.
After the final withdrawal of the last US troops from Afghanistan, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) reiterated that the evacuations from the country had not yet been completed. “Germany still has a large number of local staff that we want to bring out of Afghanistan,” said Merkel at a press conference with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. You feel obliged to the local staff.
10,000 to 40,000 Afghans eligible for admission
Merkel put the number of people who were admitted to Germany but not yet left Afghanistan at 10,000 to 40,000. One must first see how many of them wanted to leave the country at all, said the Chancellor. That will also depend on the circumstances that the Taliban create in the country.
“Nobody leaves their home country lightly,” stressed Merkel. As many refugees as possible should be given the opportunity to receive humanitarian care nearby. One will therefore get involved in the region.
In addition, the federal government is consulting with countries such as France, Great Britain, Italy and the Netherlands on how a European presence in Kabul can be established without this equating to diplomatic recognition. You have to see “how can we talk to the Taliban,” said Merkel. It must be about continuing to bring people at risk out of the country after the end of the airlift. In return, she promised technical assistance for airport operations in Kabul. “Everything stands and falls with the willingness of the Taliban to make these trips possible,” said the Chancellor.
Maas travels to Afghanistan’s neighboring countries
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) meanwhile held talks in Pakistan to explore the possibility of getting people out of Afghanistan by land. Maas had previously traveled to the neighboring countries of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Maas also offered Pakistan assistance in the current crisis situation and pointed out that Germany wanted to provide 500 million euros in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and neighboring countries. The money is also intended for the care of refugees.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on the negotiations with Pakistan
Tagesschau24 10:00 a.m., August 31, 2021
Pakistan does not want to accept any more refugees
Pakistan has taken in millions of Afghan refugees over the past 40 years. There are currently around 1.4 million registered. In addition, there are an estimated 600,000 other refugees who are not registered. At the moment, however, Pakistan does not want to accept any further refugees. “It is not a question of money, (…) it is a question of capacity,” said Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
After his meeting with Maas, he recommended that the West give the Taliban a leap of faith and continue their commitment to the country. “We should push them in the right direction.” Otherwise there will be consequences. “Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past,” said Qureshi.
Opposition: “trip is too late”
The opposition had previously criticized Maas’ trip. “The trip comes a year or two too late,” says Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP) to the editorial network Germany. The talks that are being held today should have been held much earlier. “It becomes clear that there was no strategy.” Germany had become dependent on the Taliban. “The Taliban now have the power to decide what happens to German citizens and local staff.”
Green politician Jürgen Trittin also expressed doubts about the success of the trip. “With this trip, Heiko Maas would like to give the impression that he is doing something,” Trittin told the RND. “But the omissions that were made during the evacuation and the issuing of visas cannot be made up for.” The German government made itself vulnerable to blackmail through its behavior. “This failure has put us in a position where we now have to negotiate with authoritarian rulers like Erdogan and the radical Taliban.”
A total of around 5,000 people have flown out of Germany, including 138 local employees. “Private rescuers have flown around 300 people – that means they have saved more people than Heiko Maas.”