Austria: Talks with Islamic Emirate Limited to Deporting Afghan Refugees
Austria has once again stressed that its discussions with the Islamic Emirate are limited solely to the deportation of Afghan refugees accused of committing crimes.
Austrian media have reported that the country’s chancellor said these talks have nothing to do with recognizing the Islamic Emirate.
Christian Stocker, the Chancellor of Austria, said: “The purpose of these negotiations is the deportation of Afghan criminal refugees, and this does not mean recognition of Afghanistan’s current government.”
Sayed Zia Hosseini, a political analyst, said: “Consular interactions and the expansion of consular relations are a necessity, and such requirements could elevate these ties from a consular level to that of embassies and Afghan diplomatic missions in other countries. What we witnessed in Germany has now happened in Austria, and it may occur in other countries as well.”
Some political experts believe that even such technical interactions with European countries could benefit Afghanistan’s current government.
According to them, Europe, on the one hand, needs dialogue with the Islamic Emirate to manage migration and security issues, but on the other hand, does not want to rush toward formal recognition.
Sayed Qareebullah Sadat, a political analyst, said: “Europeans are interested in maintaining relations with Afghanistan. If the Islamic Emirate accepts certain legal and international conditions, European countries will no longer hesitate in recognizing it.”
In recent months, Islamic Emirate diplomats have traveled to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, where they held talks with foreign ministry officials and other institutions on various political matters, including the provision of consular services for Afghans living in those countries.
