Following the disorderly withdrawal, Blinken will step up Afghanistan’s diplomacy in Qatar, Germany

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (Reuters) – One week after declaring the U.S. “new chapter” of commitment to Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will seek to form a united front with the United States this week. allies on how to deal with the Taliban and ensure continued support in The United States is trying to help evacuate the Americans and Afghans at risk who were left behind.

On a trip to Qatar and Germany, Blinken will overlap with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who will also leave on Sunday for a wider visit to the Gulf covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

The visit of the two top U.S. national security officials comes as the Biden administration still faces the consequences of what is widely seen as a disorderly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, criticized by fellow President Joe Biden Democrats. , as well as by Republicans.

Nicknamed a “thank you” tour of the Gulf countries and Germany, which helped Washington evacuate thousands of people from Kabul, Blinken will meet with senior Qatari officials in Doha and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in the Ramstein Air Force Base, where it will also host a ministerial meeting on Afghanistan.

Neither Blinken nor Austin are expected to meet with Taliban members, U.S. officials said.

The two-decade U.S. invasion of Afghanistan culminated in a hastily organized airlift that left behind thousands of U.S. allies and was punctuated by a suicide bombing at Kabul airport. which killed 13 American soldiers and dozens of Afghans. Washington completed the retreat on August 31st.

It was one of the largest air bridges in history, evacuating more than 120,000 Americans, Afghans and others, although thousands of Afghans at risk and about 100 American citizens were still lagging behind. Blinken has vowed to continue efforts to get them out and also keep the Taliban in their commitments to provide a safe passage for anyone who wants to leave.

“We are in a very, very active coordination, with countries in the world with similar ideas, so … we continue to work together and use the leverage and influence we have to keep the Taliban in the commitments made,” Blinken told press conference at the State Department on Friday.

In Qatar, which has been at the forefront of global engagement with the Taliban and is now the headquarters of the U.S. mission covering Afghanistan, Blinken is also expected to meet with U.S. diplomats working in Afghanistan, now that Washington has moved its mission. from Kabul to Doha.

The United States and Western countries are in a difficult balance after the lighting of the Taliban victory: reluctant to recognize the Islamist group while accepting the reality that they will have to commit to the group to avoid an impending humanitarian crisis in the country .

A key element in ensuring aid flows to Afghanistan is the complete reopening of Kabul Airport, the country’s main gateway to the world at war. Qatar has also been the focus of negotiations on the future of the airport.

On Saturday, a Qatari technical team reopened Kabul airport for domestic aid and services. But talks to resume international flights and airport security have continued between Qatar, the Taliban and Turkey.

Washington is not a direct party in airport talks, but it does want to see how the airport works.

In Ramstein, Blinken will also visit a transit center, through which nearly 30,000 people have been evacuated during the evacuation and which still housed more than 17,000 people as of Friday, U.S. officials said.

“This (trip) is very much focused on our relationship with Qatar, thanking them for the incredible support they have given, as well as on the German side. This will be a key message throughout the trip,” the acting deputy secretary said. . for South and Central Asian Affairs, Dean Thompson said a briefing.

Report by Humeyra Pamuk Edited by Marguerita Choy

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