Germany sets the conditions for Kabul’s presence, France questions the Taliban’s intention

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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas speaks at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, on August 31, 2021. REUTERS / Hamad I Mohammed

BRDO, Slovenia, September 2 (Reuters) – Germany is ready to resume a diplomatic presence in Kabul if the Taliban meet certain conditions, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday, but his French counterpart said he has not yet he had seen positive signs that the group had changed.

“We want to see an inclusive government (in Kabul), respect for the fundamental rights of women and men, and Afghanistan must not once again be a breeding ground for international terrorism,” Maas told reporters. Slovenia, where he met with his EU counterparts to discuss Afghanistan after the end of the international mission there and the Taliban taking power.

“If these requirements are met and the security situation allows, we are ready to resume diplomatic presence in Kabul,” he said.

Unlike Russia and China, the EU and most Western countries have closed their embassies in Kabul, reducing their chances of directly influencing any new government.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told Le Figaro newspaper that Paris will judge the Taliban on whether it allowed people to leave the country, allowed access to humanitarian aid, made a complete break with all terrorist organizations and respected human rights, especially for women. .

“At the moment we have no signs of taking that direction,” Le Drian said.

Foreign ministers followed in the footsteps of EU defense ministers, who met earlier in the day for talks, also focusing on ways to prevent similar crises from spiraling out of control in the future. .

“There is a new reality in Afghanistan, whether we like it or not,” Maas said. “We don’t have time to lick our wounds. If the EU is to play a role, which it should be, we need to act quickly and find a common position in Afghanistan very quickly.”

Reports by Sabine Siebold and Robin Emmott; Additional reports from John Irish in Paris; Edited by Angus MacSwan and Sonya Hepinstall

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