Belgium Says Reviewing Invitations to Taliban Would Weaken Brussels' Position

Belgium's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Laurens Swinnen, has addressed questions surrounding possible invitations extended to Taliban representatives for events in Brussels. He stated that European institutions decide independently on meetings and whom to invite. According to Swinnen, if Belgium were to review such invitations itself, it would weaken the position of Brussels as an international capital.

The spokesperson confirmed that no visa requests have been received from Taliban members to date. A list of potential delegation members arrived weeks earlier, prompting initial security reviews. He stressed that any such visit would not constitute recognition of the Taliban.

A technical meeting is set to take place in Brussels from June 22 to 23. The agenda centers on the return of Afghan migrants lacking legal residence in Europe.

In response to the planned meeting, Afghan citizens and human rights activists organized protests in numerous countries. These locations include Afghanistan, Iran, Germany, France, Canada, Sweden, Austria, Spain, and Belgium. Demonstrators cited ongoing human rights violations, especially those targeting women and girls.

More than 80 international human rights organizations have also raised concerns. Groups such as Human Rights Watch, along with some European Parliament members and Malala Yousafzai, have warned against interactions with Taliban representatives.