German chancellor rules out recognition of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

A diplomatic recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) as government is out of the question, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday.

For the first time since coming to power on May 6 this year, the German government led by Merz deported to Afghanistan a large group of migrants previously registered as dangerous criminals.

At a grand news conference in Berlin, Chancellor Merz dismissed suggestions that the German authorities were preparing to officially recognize the IEA.

“Diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime (IEA) is not even being discussed,” Merz said. “This would never happen.”

However, the German chancellor added that there were only so-called “technical contacts” with Qatar underway regarding the preparations for deportations.

Merz also said that negotiations regarding the recent deportation flight’s organization had been held for many weeks by several departments on behalf of his country’s government.

Germany, according to Merz, does not recognize the de facto government of Afghanistan but has never severed diplomatic ties with that country. He pointed out that since diplomatic relations are still in force between the countries, but not between their governments, it was possible to organize negotiations and the main focus so far would remain at the technical level.

IEA took over Afghanistan in August 2021, and is recognised as government only by Russia.