On Friday 29 May, the EU urged the Afghan government and all Afghan factions, including the Taliban, to start peace negotiations immediately (see EUROPE 12494/21).
In the conclusions it adopted alongside the meeting of EU foreign ministers at which the situation in Afghanistan was discussed, the EU Council considers that the Afghan government and factions must "without delay" actively engage in a genuine and inclusive peace process.
While they describe the political agreement on power-sharing as "an important step to strengthen the Republic and move towards reconciliation and lasting peace" (see EUROPE 12489/22), Europeans are concerned about the continuing high level of violence.
After a three-day ceasefire for Eid (see EUROPE 12492/29), the Taliban claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack in the east of the country that killed at least 14 members of Afghan forces. "Three days [of ceasefire] are not enough, we need a permanent ceasefire", High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told the media.
"The unacceptable level of violence and the persistence of Taliban terrorist attacks after [the agreement with the United States in] Doha undermines the prospect of intra-Afghan negotiations. This violence is unacceptable and must be immediately reduced or stopped until a rapid and complete ceasefire comes into force", the conclusions insist.
Mr Borrell also warned that future EU financial and political support will be strongly linked to commitments to a "meaningful" peace process and to sustaining the progress made in recent years, particularly with regard to the rights of women and children.
See the conclusions: https://bit.ly/3gxzxGx (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)