20:16 21/08/2021
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that the European Union has not recognized the Taliban nor is it holding political talks with the militants, a week after they seized control of Afghanistan.
The Taliban ended their takeover of Afghanistan on Sunday, sweeping into the country's capital, Kabul, without encountering resistance.
The EU chief executive spoke after visiting a reception center in Madrid for Afghan employees of EU institutions evacuated from Kabul.
Ms Von der Leyen said she would propose an increase in the $67 million in humanitarian aid the Commission had earmarked this year for Afghanistan.
She said that EU aid is linked to respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities and respect for the rights of women and girls.
"We can listen to what the Taliban say, but we will measure them above all by their deeds." Ms von der Leyen said at a press conference.
She added that the Commission was ready to provide funds to EU countries to help resettle refugees and that she planned to raise the issue of resettlement at a G7 meeting next week.
After a crisis in 2015 when more than a million migrants made their way to the European Union, mostly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, the EU has reduced the number of those entering these countries thanks to an agreement with Turkey, which receives funding from block to receive asylum seekers in its territory./VOA
Source of information @TvKlan: Read more at: www.botasot.al
