Any discussion on recognising the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan is premature at this stage, Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok (SaS nominee) declared on Thursday. "I find it completely premature, and I'm also addressing this to certain EU representatives who might start any discussion on recognising the Taliban," Korcok stated at a press briefing, which was also attended by Prime Minister Eduard Heger and Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (both OLaNO). No EU representative has made a direct call for the Afghan militant movement to be recognised as the government, although chief of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell hasn't definitively ruled this out. Korcok advises caution.
In the discussion on aid to Afghanistan, the number [of refugees] shouldn't be the main topic, said President Zuzana Caputova on Wednesday. She also pointed to the need for solidarity and help for those who have assisted Slovak citizens in the past. Instead of an "imaginary number" we need to find out, for example, whether there are any more Slovak citizens in need of help in the country.
A total of 24 people have been transported to Slovakia from Afghanistan in the past few hours. Of the total, 16 are Slovak nationals, while the rest are Afghan citizens who have cooperated with the Slovak Armed Forces.
Source: TASR
