The Taliban Just Won in Brussels, but Nobody Is Calling It That | Opinion
Summary
A Taliban delegation met with European Union officials in Brussels on June 23, marking the first direct engagement between the EU and the Taliban since their diplomatic isolation began. This meeting was driven largely by Europe's need to manage Afghan migration, not by a change in Taliban behavior or policies.Key Facts
- The meeting took place in a secret location in Brussels with officials from the European Commission and 15 EU member states.
- Taliban representatives were given visas valid for only 24 hours and limited to Belgium.
- About 2% of Afghans ordered to leave the EU actually departed recently, showing low cooperation on migration issues.
- The meeting broke a taboo against engaging Taliban officials within European institutions.
- Talks reportedly included discussions about the Taliban possibly having a consular presence in Europe, though Brussels denies this was officially on the agenda.
- The Taliban used migration as a bargaining tool to force dialogue with the EU.
- Other countries like Russia, India, and China have taken steps to recognize or reopen ties with the Taliban government.
- The EU's engagement may encourage other regimes that generate asylum seekers to seek similar dialogue with Europe.
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