Afghanistan: Plane from Qatar arrives in Kabul – Negotiations for airport reopening

A technical team from Qatar, which arrived today (1/9) by flight to Kabul, less than 48 hours after the Americans left, in order to discuss “the reopening of the airport”, a well-informed source told the French Agency.

This is first foreign plane to land in Kabul after departure on Monday night, of the last American soldiers from the Afghan capital, broadcasts APE-MPE.

“Although no final agreement has been reached on technical assistance, a Qatari group has begun discussions on the basis of the request,” the Taliban and other sources added, without elaborating.

Arab media quoted Twitter as saying that a Taliban spokesman had “formally requested assistance from Qatar in managing the airport as soon as possible”.

Doha maintains close ties with the Taliban and plays a central role in negotiations between the Islamists and the international community.

The Boeing C-17A Globemaster landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport. “Discussions on security issues are ongoing,” the source continued. “The aim is to resume flights to and from Kabul in order to provide humanitarian assistance and ensure the free movement of people, including prisoners,” he added.

Qatar played a mediating role in the negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, which took Kabul unchallenged on 15 August. Since then, the wealthy emirate has continued to communicate with the Taliban. “As a just and neutral mediator, in recent years, between the Taliban and the United States or between the Taliban and the other parties in Afghanistan, we have built a relationship of trust,” said Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdera. .

Afghanistan: Qatar’s foreign minister calls for safe passage

The foreign minister of Qatar, a country that is a privileged interlocutor Taliban, today called on this Islamist movement to open a “safe passage” for people wishing to leave.

“We insisted, speaking to the Taliban, on the issue of freedom of movement, that there be a safe passage for people who want to leave or enter, if they wish,” said Qatar’s Mohammed bin Abderrahman al-Thani.

“We hope that these commitments will be respected in the near future. “when the airport resumes operations, that this will be done gently and that there will be no obstacles for anyone,” he added.

Qatar had acted as a mediator in the peace process between the Afghan government and the Taliban before the latter seized power on 15 August. Afghanistan. Doha has since maintained a privileged relationship with the new Islamist regime in Kabul.

The gas-rich emirate is currently in the spotlight of the international community for its ability to communicate with the new rulers of Kabul.

“As fair and neutral mediators in recent years between the Taliban and the United States or between the Taliban and the other sides in Afghanistan, we have built trust with all the protagonists,” the Qatari minister said. “It simply came to our notice then. We all need to use it (…) for the future of Afghanistan. “

In the same press conference, the Dutch Foreign Minister also announced the transfer of the Dutch diplomatic mission from Kabul to Doha. The United States and Britain recently made the same choice, believing that the safety of their crew members was no longer guaranteed in Kabul.

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