Taliban to Meet US, European Officials in Doha

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A Taliban delegation will meet US and European officials, on Tuesday, according to EU Spokesperson Nabila Masrali, who said that the parties will meet for Qatar-mediated talks in Doha.

Masrali added that the meeting will allow the US and the EU to address a number of issues, including securing safe passage for those who wish to leave Afghanistan, ensuring humanitarian access, women's rights, and preventing the country from devolving into a haven for terrorist groups.

She noted that the unofficial meeting will only discuss technical issues, and it does not constitute a recognition of the transitional government.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the world on Monday to "inject liquidity into the Afghan economy to avoid collapse."

The economy of Afghanistan is breaking down.

Banks are closing and essential services, such as healthcare, have been suspended in many places.

I urge the world to take action and inject liquidity into the Afghan economy to avoid collapse.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 12, 2021

Meanwhile, the Taliban government's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said in an event hosted by Qatar's Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, "We want positive relationships with the whole world. We believe in balanced international relations. We believe such a balanced relationship can save Afghanistan from instability."

The Taliban had held meetings with the US on Saturday and Sunday in Qatar.

For his part, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said the bloc is looking forward to bolstering its direct aid to the Afghan people in an effort to avoid the country’s collapse. “We can’t just wait and see what happens. We have to act, we have to act quickly,” Borrell said after talks with European development ministers.