Linking the resumption of aid to Afghanistan to respect for human rights, Westerners laid out their demands on the Taliban on Tuesday January 25 in Oslo, on the last day of an unprecedented and controversial visit by the Islamists.
The final chapter of their first official trip to Europe since their return to power in August, the Taliban, still in search of international recognition and money, had bilateral meetings behind closed doors with several Western diplomats. The latter seized the opportunity to explain what they expect from the Taliban once again masters of a country where more than half of the population is threatened by hunger this winter.
"I also underlined the need for primary and secondary schools to be open to boys and girls across the country when the school year begins in March," tweeted the European Union's special envoy to Afghanistan.
Tomas Niklasson was responding to another tweet from the spokesperson for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, which welcomed the EU's commitment to "continue its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan".
Led by their Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Islamist delegation also had bilateral talks with a senior French official, Bertrand Lotholary, the British special envoy Nigel Casey and members of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Taliban see in these meetings at the Soria Moria hotel, on a snowy hill in Oslo, a step towards international recognition.
"The fact of having come to Norway (...) is a success in itself because we have shared the international scene", welcomed Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday, "from these meetings, we are certain to draw support in humanitarian, health and education sectors in Afghanistan".
Norway criticized
Inviting power, Norway affirms that the discussions are neither "a legitimization nor a recognition" of the Taliban government.
But her decision to welcome this delegation, transported in a private jet which she chartered at great expense, was strongly criticized by many experts, members of the diaspora and Afghan activists.
Also in their sights: the presence among the 15 members of the delegation - exclusively male - of Anas Haqqani, one of the leaders of the Haqqani network, responsible for deadly attacks in Afghanistan and considered by the United States as a "terrorist" group.
No state has yet recognized the Taliban regime and the international community is waiting to see how the Islamists govern the country before any aid is released.
"Some gradual changes"
"This is not the start of an open and infinite process," said Norwegian Secretary of State Henrik Thune, who was to meet with the Taliban in the evening.
“We are going to put forward tangible demands that we can follow up and see if they fulfill them,” he told Norwegian news agency NTB on Monday.
In addition to the possibility of providing humanitarian aid directly to the Afghan population, these demands were to focus mainly on human rights, in particular those of women and minorities, such as access to education and health services, the right to work and freedom of movement.
In Oslo, a Western observer said he noted "some gradual changes on both sides".
"But I think we will need more of these meetings before the Taliban and the West can deal with each other," he told AFP.
With AFP
The summary of the
France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 app
google-play-badge_EN