Taliban, In New Talks In Qatar, Seek Help In Running Afghanistan Airports

Kabul The Taliban asked for help in keeping Afghanistan's airfields running in weekend addresses with EU officers that also raised" grave concern"about the philanthropic situation in their country, according to an EU statement late Sunday. Both sides transferred elderly officers to the Qatari capital Doha for the addresses, which happed just ahead of two weeks of accommodations between the US and the Taliban due to start Monday, also in Doha. The EU's European External Action Service (EEAS) said in its statement that"the dialogue doesn't indicate recognition by the EU of the interim (Taliban) government but is part of EU's functional engagement, in the interest of the EU and the Afghan people". The Taliban delegationwas led by interim foreign minister Amir Khan Mutaqqi, accompanied by the interim ministers for education and health, the acting central bank governor, and officers from the foreign, finance and interior ministries and the intelligence directorate. The EU side was headed by the EU special envoy for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson, with officers from the EEAS and the European Commission's service handling philanthropic aid, transnational hookups, and migration. ' Worsening philanthropic situation' The EU statement said the Taliban pledged to stick by its pledge of" remittal"for Afghans who had worked against it during the two decades of Western-oriented rule up to the hasty exit and evacuation by the US and its abettors in August. The Taliban side alsore-committed to allowing Afghans and nonnatives to leave if they wish so, but" requested backing for maintaining operations of airfields"so that could be. "The two sides expressed grave concern about the worsening philanthropic situation in Afghanistan as downtime is arriving,"the statement said, adding that the EU would continue supplying philanthropic aid. The EU side pressed the Taliban to produce an"inclusive government", foster republic, insure girls had equal access to training, and help Afghanistan serving as a base for any group"that threatens the security of others". It also suggested that, if the Talibanmet EU conditions, that could unleash redundant backing for Afghanistan's cash-strapped new autocrats but only"for the direct benefit of the Afghan people". The Taliban reiterated they would uphold mortal rights"in line with Islamic principles"and would drink back politic operations that had closed, according to the statement.