Turkey to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through Pakistan: FM

ANKARA

Turkey has been conducting dialogue with Taliban officials through the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Sept. 27, noting that Turkey has decided to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan through neighboring Pakistan.

“Our ambassador is meeting with all of them. They are currently negotiating at the ambassador level,” Çavuşoğlu told reporters after the cabinet meeting when asked about dialogue with the Taliban’s interim government.

The talks focused on humanitarian aid to the war-torn country, the minister stated.

“We are talking about the humanitarian aid, such as food, medicine and other necessities before winter comes. So they have needs; we see this need. They are being discussed,” the minister said, noting that the Turkish Red Crescent is already on the field.

The issue of humanitarian aid through Pakistan was also discussed in the cabinet meeting Çavuşoğlu said, adding, “We will purchase most of them from Pakistan and send them by land route. It will be quicker and less costly.”

Regarding whether there is an official request for humanitarian aid, Çavuşoğlu said: “There is no official request; it is verbal. It’s something the whole world already knows. We are currently advising everyone in this direction. In other words, the country should not collapse; its economy should not collapse.”

Evaluating the latest situation on the talks for maintaining the operation of the Kabul airport, Çavuşoğlu said: “There are uncertainties and negotiations are continuing. Security concerns have not been addressed. There is no complete clarity, but charter flights are temporarily open at certain hours at the moment. However, the conditions for regular flights have not been formed yet; the negotiations are continuing.”

Turkey was in talks with the United States and Qatar for securing and running the Kabul airport.