Published 20.57
Five representatives of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan have been granted visas to Belgium to meet EU representatives in Brussels, reports the Euractiv news site.
It was last week that the five must have applied for visas to discuss deportations to Afghanistan with the EU and Sweden. All representatives have now been granted visas and are expected to arrive in Brussels on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Belgian foreign ministry told Euractiv that the visas were issued following a security assessment that gave no indication that the individuals would pose a security risk. According to the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visas for travel to Belgium are only valid for a single day.
Sources tell Euractiv that the talks will be held at a technical level without political representation and probably not in the EU’s official premises.
The EU meeting with the Taliban has met with strong criticism from, among others, human rights organizations and the political opposition.
