Taliban have a message for Germany

“We want strong and official diplomatic relations with Germany,” said Zalhulah Mujaheded for “Welt am Sonntag”.

Taliban want financial and humanitarian assistance from Berlin, as well as cooperation in health, agriculture and education.

The Taliban want to achieve this kind of co-operation with other countries, Mujahed said. In the past, the Germans have always been welcome in Afghanistan, he said.

Unfortunately, they joined the Americans then. But this is now forgiven,” said Mujahid.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass announced that Berlin will continue to help develop Afghanistan, and one of the conditions for this is for Taliban to form a broad government in which it will include representatives of other groups and minorities.

Germany has closed its embassy in Kabul and has interrupted development assistance since the Taliban took power last month.

However, Berlin has promised it will continue to provide urgent assistance to displaced people in Afghanistan and refugees from that country through humanitarian organisations.

The European Union agreed this week on conditions for limited co-operation with Taliban. The first condition is for Taliban to confirm that Afghanistan will not be a shelter for terrorists who can attack other countries as it has been in the past.

Furthermore, Taliban must respect human rights, particularly women's, to form a comprehensive government to allow unhindered humanitarian aid arrivals and to allow vulnerable foreign citizens and Afghans to leave the country.