German chancellor says must talk with Taliban

BERLIN – Germany’s chancellor says the country must engage with the Taliban in order to help evacuate Afghans who had worked for them.

Angela Merkel told reporters on Sunday that “we simply have to talk to the Taliban about how we can get the people who used to work for Germany out of the country and to safety." She added: "They are the ones one needs to talk to now.”

She said it was also in Germany’s interest to support international aid organizations who are helping improve the humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan. She called it a good signal that the airport in Kabul was re-opened, allowing medical aid into the country again.

Some western countries have been reluctant about talking with the Taliban.

Merkel’s remarks came after a spokesman for the Taliban told a German newspaper that his group was ready for full diplomatic relations with the Germans, and had “forgiven” them their past cooperation with the Americans in the country.

Merkel did not refer to his remarks, nor did she talk about establishing any kind of official diplomatic relations.