On Wednesday 28 February, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) hailed the offer of Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to recognise the Taliban as a legitimate political group as part of a process to lead to peace negotiations.
Describing the offer as "important and welcome" for peace, the EEAS spokesperson hoped it would lead "towards the establishment of a genuine peace process, and that a further meeting of the Kabul Process will, in a near future, look at the progress made, on peace and on shared measures to counter terrorism, inside Afghanistan and in a regional perspective".
The government's proposal was made as part of a meeting on 28 February of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation. The EEAS spokesperson said that this meeting was "an important step towards peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan".
The spokesperson said the EU is ready to accompany an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that will bring all Afghans together and pave the way to a better future for Afghanistan and to the whole region.
Ghani has offered a ceasefire, the release of prisoners, passports, an office and the lifting of sanctions against the Taliban. In exchange, he would like the Taliban to recognise the government and uphold the rule of law. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)