Islam Times - Intl. Community Must Have Talks with Taliban: Merkel

Islam Times - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday called for talks with the Taliban to ensure that they do not reverse the achievements Afghanistan has made over the past 20 years.

“One thing is clear. The Taliban now are a reality in Afghanistan,” Merkel told lawmakers, during the parliamentary session.

The chancellor favored diplomatic talks with the Taliban but underlined that there won’t be any unconditional agreements.

“Our goal must be to preserve, as much as possible, the achievements of the past 20 years. For this, the international community must have talks with Taliban,” she said.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan after taking Kabul on Aug. 15, forcing the president and other top officials to leave the country.

Following the departure of Ashraf Ghani, former President Hamid Karzai, veteran politician Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and top peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah formed a council with an aim to ensure a smooth transfer of power.