Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein is calling on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to start negotiations with the Taliban ruling Afghanistan for the deportation of serious criminals.
“I want to say it very generally: whoever comes to this country because this country has values, because this country has peace, because this country has freedom, because it is a constitutional state and who ends up damaging all of that, endangering all of that through such an act, must leave this country again, no matter where, whether that is Syria or Afghanistan. And quite honestly, yes, of course you have to talk to those who are in charge there so that they take their people back,” the CDU politician told the portal “The Pioneer” on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) had called on the Chancellor to contact the Taliban. He shared Wüst’s position “totally”, said Rhein. Talks were already being held with the Taliban on other issues. “That’s why it doesn’t make sense to me that we should turn this into such a debate, we would be strengthening the Taliban by doing so,” said the Prime Minister.
After the fatal knife attack on a police officer in Mannheim, Scholz announced that he wanted to make it possible to deport serious criminals to Afghanistan and Syria again. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) is currently examining this.
When asked whether a possible repatriation agreement with the Taliban could involve payments, Rhein replied: “Of course, we will then have to spend money to implement what we want here. I think that is entirely justifiable.”
Critics warn against negotiations with the Islamist Taliban, as they should not be recognized and no money should be allowed to flow that could then be used to build up terrorist networks in Germany. The Taliban recently showed themselves open to cooperation in light of the deportation debate.