The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway announced the negotiations of the Taliban (a terrorist organization prohibited in Russia) with a number of European states and representatives of civil society to prevent aggravation of the crisis. It is reported by The Guardian with reference to the head of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry Anticken Hyuitfeldt.
The Taliban delegation will come to the meeting and will stay in Oslo from January 23 to 25. The main topic for the discussion will be the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and issues related to ensuring human rights. Hyuitfeldt stated that this initiative was not related to the legitimization of the government of radicals.
“We must talk to the de facto authorities of the country. We cannot allow the political situation to bring to an even greater humanitarian catastrophe,” the Foreign Minister explained.
The minister did not specify who will come to negotiations. However, according to the Norwegian newspaper VG, Afghan human rights defenders who are in exile will take part in the meeting, as well as delegates from Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, EU and USA.
Earlier, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UHGV) reported that today 11.8 million girls and women of Afghanistan need urgent humanitarian assistance. First of all, they need food, health care, education, opportunities for livelihoods and protection services.