Belgium Grants Visas to Taliban Delegation for EU Migration Meeting
Belgium confirmed on Monday that it had issued five visas to a Taliban delegation to attend a European Union meeting on migration in Brussels. This marks the first time the EU has hosted the group since the Islamists returned to power in Afghanistan five years ago.
A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated, "These are visas with limited territorial validity and limited duration: only for Belgium ... and only for a single day." The spokesperson added that the exact date of the visit would not be disclosed for security reasons.
Focus on Deportation of Afghan Migrants
The meeting is expected to center on ways to deport some Afghan migrants who do not have the right to stay in the European Union. According to a letter seen by Reuters and addressed to Abdul Qaher Balkhi, a Taliban foreign ministry spokesman, the discussions will focus on "the return and readmission of Afghan nationals without a right to stay in the European Union."
Human rights groups have warned that such engagement could put Afghans at risk and undermine core EU values. The European Commission has emphasized that the meeting is technical in nature and does not constitute recognition of Taliban rule.
