‘Channels of communication’ open with Taliban: Blinken

Top US diplomat to visit Qatar and Germany, says Washington in constant contact with Americans remaining in Afghanistan. “There’s currently no plans to do any meetings with the Taliban in Doha,” State Department official Daniel Benaim told reporters on Friday.”This is very much focused on our relationship with Qatar – thanking them for the incredible support that they’ve given.” 3 Sep 2021 - 20:35 GMT US to give each incoming Afghan evacuee up to $2,275 in aid The Biden administration and more than 200 private agencies are rushing to establish a system for the resettlement of tens of thousands of Afghans, many of whom fled their country with little more than the clothes they were wearing. “When it comes to not allowing Afghanistan to be used as a launching ground for terrorism directed at us or any of our allies and partners, when it comes to upholding the basic rights of the Afghan people, including women and minorities, when it comes to not engaging in reprisals.” 3 Sep 2021 - 18:54 GMT Blinken: State Dept in ‘constant contact’ with Americans still in Afghanistan US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday the State Department was “in constant contact” with Americans remaining in Afghanistan who still wish to leave the country. For so many people in Kabul, these “celebratory gunfire” leads to these conversations “do you remember the civil war …?” pic.twitter.com/vEQJC2eMWC — Ali M Latifi September 3, 2021 3 Sep 2021 - 17:01 GMT Fighting in Panjshir matter of ‘deep concern’: Karzai Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said the fighting in Panjshir Valley region was a “matter of deep concern” and the consequences would not be in the interest of the country or its people. Speaking at the New Knowledge Forum in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov said: “I hope the latest confrontation in the north of Afghanistan in the Panjshir Valley will end soon, giving way to negotiations.” 3 Sep 2021 - 14:09 GMT EU says Taliban must respect rights, guarantee security as conditions for help The European Union is ready to engage with the new Taliban government in Kabul but the group must respect human rights, including those of women, and for Afghanistan not to serve as a “basis for the export of terrorism”, the EU’s foreign policy chief said, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Slovenia.