France Opens Talks With Taliban Administration on Deporting Undocumented Afghans
Agence France-Presse, citing a diplomatic source, reports that France has begun talks with the Taliban administration to prepare for the direct deportation of Afghan nationals living in France without legal status.
According to the source, the aim of the “technical dialogue” is to speed up the return of people France considers a threat to public order. The talks are starting at a time when Paris has had no formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban administration since it returned to power in August 2021, and the French embassy in Kabul remains closed.
At the same time, the source says France, along with about 20 European Union member states, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden, is seeking to accelerate the return of Afghans, especially those convicted of crimes.
The diplomatic source did not specify how many people may be affected by the process, but another source familiar with the matter told AFP that the number could be in the “hundreds.”
The French foreign ministry did not respond to questions about whether Taliban representatives could travel to France to advance the deportation process.
The source stressed that the talks do not mean a change in France’s overall stance toward Afghanistan. He added that France would continue to support the people of Afghanistan, especially Afghan women.
The Taliban administration, which has not been formally recognised by the European Union, has sought to expand engagement and gain international legitimacy since August 2021. Previously, a June meeting between Taliban officials and a number of European Union lawmakers drew criticism from human rights organisations and left-wing groups in the European Parliament.
