Berlin Open to Taliban Talks Over Migrants

Germany’s Interior Minister has stated that, in order to facilitate the return of Afghan migrants with criminal records, the country may consider accepting a Taliban representative in Berlin — without officially recognizing the group.

Alexander Dobrindt, speaking to the television network Welt on Friday, July 11, said he welcomes the idea of establishing a technical consular-level mission to help expedite the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers who have committed crimes in Germany. He emphasized that this measure would be purely administrative and would carry no political or diplomatic weight.

He added: “If the Taliban or Afghans send a representative here, cooperation is possible. This does not necessarily imply political recognition.”

Dobrindt clarified that the main objective of this approach is to create legal mechanisms for repatriating individuals who, after serving their sentences in Germany, must be returned to Afghanistan.

These remarks come as Germany’s Foreign Minister, Joe Waddell, has rejected any formal contact with the Taliban. However, Dobrindt, referring to Waddell's position, noted: “You can make agreements with a country that is not officially recognized. Talking to someone is not equivalent to diplomatic recognition in the classical sense.”

In recent months, the deportation of Afghan migrants with criminal backgrounds has become a major issue in Germany’s domestic politics. Until now, such returns have mostly been arranged through intermediary countries like Qatar. However, some German officials believe that without direct dialogue with the Taliban, implementing this process effectively will not be possible.