Stock market opened with modest gain on Wednesday marking third consecutive session in the upward gain
The European Union is ready to engage with the new Taliban government in Kabul but the group must respect human rights, including those of women, and not let Afghanistan become a base for terrorism, the EU foreign policy chief said on Friday.
"In order to support the Afghan population, we will have to engage with the new government in Afghanistan," Josep Borrell said during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Slovenia.
He described an "operational engagement", which would not by itself constitute the formal recognition of the Taliban government, and would "increase depending on the behaviour of this government".
Borrell said the new government must prevent the country from again becoming a breeding ground for militants as it was during the Taliban's previous time in power. It must respect human rights, the rule of law and freedom of the media, and should negotiate with other political forces on a transitional government.
The Taliban have yet to name a government more than two weeks since they swept back into power. Their 1996-2001 rule was marked by violent punishments and a ban on schooling or work for women and girls, and many Afghans and foreign governments fear a return to such practices. The militants say they have changed but have yet to spell out the rules they will enforce.
Borrell said the new government in Kabul must also grant free access to humanitarian aid, respecting EU procedures and conditions for delivery.
"We will increase humanitarian aid, but we will judge them according to the access they provide," Borrell said.
Aid agencies have said Afghanistan is facing a humanitarian catastrophe amid an economic crisis brought on by the conflict, a drought and the Covid-19 pandemic. About 18 million Afghans - roughly half the population - are already in need of humanitarian help, according to EU experts.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said it depended on the Taliban how swiftly frozen development aid - which is different from the unconditional humanitarian aid - can flow again.
"We have heard many moderate remarks in the past days, but we will measure the Taliban by their actions, not by their words," Maas told reporters in Slovenia.
"We want to help avert a looming humanitarian crisis in the coming winter, which is why we have to act fast."
According to Borrell, the EU aims to coordinate its contacts with the Taliban through a joint EU presence in Kabul, should security conditions make it safe to do so.
Stock market opened with modest gain on Wednesday marking third consecutive session in the upward gain
Union warned it could order several days of strike action over a busy May holiday weekend if its demands are not met
Humidity is set to rise during the night and into Thursday morning
Text messages, social media posts, chatroom messages, altered images, and videos are just a few avenues through which cyberbullying can occur
The building in Muhaisnah 4 had suffered structural damage last week and has been sealed off as authorities conduct investigations
Al Ain, which knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in the quarterfinals, reached the final for the first time since 2016
Defeat leaves Chelsea still in ninth, three points adrift of the European places
Liverpool left some key players out of their starting line-up for Sunday's 3-1 win at Fulham