The Diplomat
The Government is still not considering recognising the Taliban regime three years after its capture of Kabul brought about its return to power in Afghanistan and will keep its Embassy in the Asian country closed for the time being, according to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consulted by Europa Press.
The Government is not considering recognition,” the sources said after being asked about what conditions would have to be met for Spain to recognise the Taliban regime, with which they pointed out that “there have been no contacts” of any kind in the intervening period.
After the capture of Kabul, and once the evacuation of all Spaniards and Afghan collaborators who had worked for both the Army and Spanish Cooperation in the last two decades was completed on 27 August 2021, the Embassy was closed.
In fact, the lightning offensive launched by the Taliban that summer and which culminated in the departure of the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, and the seizure of power by the Taliban, took place in the midst of the change at the head of the Embassy. The Government appointed Ricardo Losa as the new ambassador on 4 August, but he did not have time to arrive in the Afghan capital to succeed Gabriel Ferrán, who stayed until the entire process was completed.
The Foreign Ministry has limited itself to indicating that “there has been contact with the local authorities for some specific operational issues”, without going into specific details, although from the outset the minister, José Manuel Albares, said that, even if the Taliban were not recognised, it would be necessary to “interact” with them on specific issues, especially on the humanitarian level.
However, it is worth remembering that on 17 May three Spanish tourists were killed in an attack in Bamiyan later claimed by the Islamic State and another was injured. Then, Losa, together with a diplomat stationed at the Embassy in Pakistan, travelled to Kabul to help with the arrangements for their repatriation. The sources consulted have acknowledged that the Government’s “intention” would be to reopen the Embassy in Kabul “if the security conditions for this were met.” “Our preference is a coordinated return with the other EU Member States and Western countries,” the sources have admitted, who stress that “always in conditions of security.”
The truth is that with the arrival of the Taliban to power the levels of violence have decreased, mainly because the group was one of those responsible for its actions against the Afghan authorities. Now, the main threat is represented by the Islamic State Khorasan, the terrorist group’s affiliate in this country, although there is also a confirmed presence of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
On the other hand, from the department headed by José Manuel Albares, who precisely had to manage this first major crisis after his arrival at the Ministry, they have indicated that to date a total of 2,354 people have been transferred to Spain. The Government evacuated the Spaniards who were in Afghanistan on several flights between 15 and 27 August, as well as numerous collaborators and relatives of these and also some Afghans whose lives were in danger after the arrival of the Taliban. After that, two more flights were chartered in July and August 2022.
In addition, the Spanish embassies in neighbouring countries have also managed the transfer to Spain of other Afghans who managed to leave on their own and who required protection.
