Original title: Taliban prepares to form a government, proposed sanctions by the Group of Seven
On August 22, a large number of people gathered outside the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.Xinhua News Agency
Since the 14th, the US has evacuated approximately 28,000 people from Kabul.
The United States and its NATO allies are busy withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, their citizens, and some Afghans who have served their country and feared “retaliation.”
As many as 15,000 Americans and 50,000 to 60,000 Afghans and their relatives who have served the United States need to be evacuated.
At present, 13 countries have agreed to “at least temporarily” accommodate the evacuated Afghans, and the other 12 countries have agreed to serve as “transit stations.”
Afghanistan’s Hama News Agency reported on the 22nd that the Taliban are preparing for a high-level meeting in the capital Kabul, aiming to negotiate with the political forces of Afghanistan to form an “inclusive government.”
Western countries are still busy “withdrawing people” from Afghanistan. The British government confirmed that the G7 is scheduled to hold an online meeting of leaders on the 24th to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The source said that in addition to discussing how to ensure a “safe evacuation,” the British side will also push other member states to consider imposing new sanctions on the Taliban.
Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency
Taliban seeks support from multiple sources
Hama News Agency reported on the 22nd that the planned high-level talks will be attended by Taliban leaders and the Kabul municipality.
A Taliban member told the Russian Satellite News Agency on the 21st that the Taliban leader in charge of political affairs Baradar is expected to announce the decision on the structure of the Afghan government in the next two weeks. Baradhar is the head of the Taliban Political Committee and the director of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Senior Taliban member Vasik previously confirmed that the Taliban has no plans to form an interim government or transitional government, and will directly form an inclusive government acceptable to all parties in Afghanistan.
Mansour, a senior Taliban member in charge of Kabul affairs, met with former Afghan President Karzai and Chairman of the Afghan High Commission for National Reconciliation Abdullah on the 21st. According to Reuters news, the Taliban will meet with former governors and government officials in more than 20 of the 34 provinces across the country to gain more support.
The EU is “afraid” of accepting Afghan refugees
Slovenian Prime Minister Jan Sha said on the 22nd that the EU will not leave humanitarian channels for Afghans, and the EU has no obligation to help those Afghans who choose to “leave the motherland”. It was said on the 23rd that there was no consensus within the European Union on the resettlement policy of Afghan refugees, and that whether to accept Afghan refugees should be decided by the EU member states.
“Western countries keep talking about allowing Central Asian countries to accept Afghan refugees and (there) wait to obtain visas from the United States or other countries,” said Russian President Putin. “Who are among these people? How do we know?” He worried. Given that there are no visa restrictions between Russia and some Central Asian countries, there may be extremists disguising themselves as Afghan refugees and trying to enter Russia. He said that in the 1990s and the middle of the first decade of this century, the North Caucasus region experienced instability. “We don’t want this situation to repeat itself, even if it is only a partial repeat.”
The G7 intends to open conditions
British Prime Minister Johnson said on the 22nd that the leaders of the Group of Seven nations will hold an online meeting on the 24th to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The White House confirmed that US President Biden will attend the meeting.
Reuters reported that an unnamed British government official and a Western diplomat reported that the British side believes that once the Taliban is deemed “violating human rights” or allowing Afghanistan to become a hotbed of extremist organizations, the G7 should consider Impose economic sanctions on it.
When asked whether the U.S. supports the British proposal, Biden responded on the 22nd: “The answer is yes. (Whether sanctions) depends on (the Taliban’s) actions.” Biden told reporters on the 20th that he and Secretary of State Blincoln It will negotiate with other countries to set “stringent conditions” for recognizing the Taliban regime or cooperating with it.
The British “Daily Telegraph” disclosed that Johnson will use this meeting to try to persuade Biden to extend the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The British Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of Defense previously made similar requests to the United States, but to no avail.
The report said that Britain urged the United States to postpone its troop withdrawal, mainly hoping to leave enough time for the British to withdraw personnel from Afghanistan. Britain plans to withdraw another 6,000 people before this week.
U.S. troops may extend their stay
The German military said on the 23rd that the Afghan security forces exchanged fire with unidentified armed personnel near the north gate of the capital Kabul International Airport that morning. One person died and three were injured. German and American troops were involved in this conflict, and no one was injured.
According to a Reuters report on the 22nd, in the past 7 days, at least 20 people died inside and outside the Kabul airport when trying to evacuate. Biden said that the U.S. is speeding up the evacuation of American citizens and Afghans in Afghanistan. Military officials are discussing whether the aerial evacuation may be extended to after the deadline for withdrawal on the 31st of this month.
Sullivan, the U.S. President’s National Security Affairs Assistant, said in a guest program on CNN’s “State of the Union” program that in the past 24 hours, the U.S. military transport plane has evacuated approximately 3,900 people from Kabul Airport, which is still far less than the U.S. military’s previously promised single-day evacuation of 5,000 to 5,000. 9,000 people.
At present, the Kabul Airport is overcrowded, and it is difficult for the U.S. military to deal with it. The Pentagon announced on the 22nd that it will use a civil aviation reserve to assist the military in evacuation.
Biden added that the United States has negotiated with the Taliban in Afghanistan on many occasions and has obtained cooperation from the Taliban on the expansion of the “safe area” around the airport. Taliban representative Mutaj said that the United States is powerful and well-equipped, but it cannot restore order to Kabul Airport.
According to Biden, Afghans evacuated from Kabul Airport will not be sent directly to the United States, but will need to be pre-screened in a third country. This approach has aroused criticism from many Republicans.
The Associated Press analyzed that how to resettle the Afghans who have withdrawn from the U.S. military after arriving in other countries has become a problem. Including Qatar, Bahrain and Germany, the number of temporary transit countries receiving evacuees is close to the upper limit.
The European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Borelli believes that the US security measures at the Kabul Airport are too strict, preventing Afghans who have worked for Europeans from entering the airport.
(Reporters Du Juan and Li Yannan)
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