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Belgium opposes Afghan Taliban visit to Brussels but says it cannot block EU invitation

By The South Asia Times

BRUSSELS— Belgium’s foreign minister has said he opposes plans for Taliban representatives to visit Brussels for talks with European Union officials but acknowledged that Belgium cannot prevent the trip because of its obligations as host country to EU institutions.

According to Belgian news agency Belga, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot addressed the issue during a meeting of parliament’s foreign relations committee on Wednesday after lawmakers raised concerns about visas for members of an Afghan delegation linked to the Taliban authorities, Anadolu Agency reported.

Prevot said he personally disapproved of inviting representatives of the Taliban administration and stressed that formal recognition of the group’s government in Afghanistan remained “out of the question.”

However, he noted that Belgium has limited authority over the invitations extended by EU institutions to foreign delegations visiting Brussels for official meetings.

“As host to the European institutions, Belgium cannot determine which foreign representatives are invited by the European Commission or other EU bodies,” he was quoted as saying.

The minister confirmed that Belgium had received visa applications from the Afghan delegation and that the country’s security services had completed the necessary screening procedures.

The Taliban delegation is expected to travel to Brussels for talks requested by the European Commission focusing on the return of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan.

The planned visit highlights the delicate balance European governments face in dealing with Taliban authorities, who returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. While the EU and its member states have not formally recognized the Taliban government, Western officials have maintained limited engagement with its representatives on issues including humanitarian assistance, migration and security.

Belgium opposes Afghan Taliban visit to Brussels but says it cannot block EU invitation

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