Belgium Issues One-Day Visa to Taliban Delegation for EU Migration Meeting in Brussels
The Belgian government has issued visas to a five-member delegation from the Taliban administration to participate in a European Union migration-related meeting in Brussels. The visa is valid only for Belgian territory and for a single day. According to Belgian officials, the exact travel date will not be disclosed for security reasons.
According to a Reuters report citing two European officials, the visa is valid solely for Tuesday, June 23. This marks the first time since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan that its representatives have attended a meeting hosted by the European Union.
Last month, the European Commission invited Taliban officials to travel to Brussels for talks on the repatriation of Afghan migrants. However, the institution emphasized that the upcoming meeting is purely technical and does not imply recognition of the Taliban administration.
Markus Lamert, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stated that member states are exploring ways to return individuals who have committed serious crimes or are considered security threats, and the meeting is being held within this framework.
Additionally, in a letter seen by Reuters addressed to Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, the main topic of discussion is the “return and readmission of those Afghan citizens who do not have the right to reside in the European Union.”
While the EU stresses the technical nature of the meeting, holding such an encounter raises questions about how European countries will practically engage with the Taliban administration, which remains unrecognized by any country.
