EU special envoy engages Taliban leaders in high-stakes talks

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AT News

KABUL – EU Special Envoy Tomas Niklasson has conducted talks with Taliban representatives in Kabul over the last 48 hours. Among the officials he met were the Taliban’s economy minister, deputy minister of counternarcotics, and deputy chief minister, Abdul Kabir.

During his discussion with Abdul Kabir, they addressed the forthcoming Doha meeting, as per a Taliban statement. Niklasson also engaged with Abdul Haq, the Taliban’s deputy counternarcotics minister, focusing on strategies to combat drug trafficking.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior reported that Niklasson conveyed the EU’s willingness to support drug control efforts. Furthermore, on Tuesday, Jan. 5, Niklasson met with Din Mohammad Haneef, the Taliban’s economy minister, to discuss economic cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and development initiatives.

Niklasson’s visit to Kabul precedes a UN-led meeting in Doha in approximately two weeks, which will gather special envoys for Afghanistan from various countries. As of now, the EU’s office in Afghanistan has refrained from commenting on Niklasson’s discussions in Kabul.