On Saturday, the Taliban spokesman published photos of a cheerful gang outside a private plane.
Privatflyet, sent by the Norwegian authorities at the taxpayers’ expense, took them to Norway for talks with representatives of a number of western countries. The talks start on Sunday.
Fabian Stang, former mayor of Oslo, now a lawyer, reacts strongly to what the Norwegian authorities are now doing.
– This is unusually naive. Norwegian authorities are clear that this is not a recognition of the Taliban, but look at the pictures they have posted! They sit happily on a private plane, and then feel recognized to the extent, Stang says to TV 2 on Sunday morning.
– PLEASANT: It seemed that the Taliban delegation was fine on the flight to Norway. Photo: Abdul Qahar Balkhi via Twitter
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The delegation arrived in Oslo on Saturday night.
The talks will take place at the Soria Moria conference hotel in Oslo, and the delegation was driven straight there after the private plane landed.
– Faint taste
Stang says he is sure that it was not intended as such, but that the whole situation has now become very stupid on the outside.
– Norway has now been given a seat on the Security Council, a place that will be good for working to solve the terrible crisis the Afghan people are facing now. The Afghan people do not need to see the Taliban being flown to Norway in private jets. This is also to negotiate with terrorists in a way I am sure the Norwegian people disagree with, he says.
Stang says it all seems rather ill-considered.
– It is so to the degree unprincipled. I think the government will be left with an embarrassed taste in its mouth after this, he says.
Will not change them
Another who reacts to the transport method to the Norwegian authorities in this case is Dagen editor Vebjørn Selbekk.
– This is very provocative, and deeply tasteless. We must remember that these are terrorists, with whom Norway was at war until five months ago, he says.
Senior IEA delegation led by the FM H.E Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi left for Norway in a special flight of the said country where talks will be held with representatives of various countries & a number of Afghans about humanitarian aid, political, educational & economic issues. pic.twitter.com/YHoLEuM0t0
– Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) January 22, 2022
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He emphasizes that ten Norwegian soldiers lost their lives in the fight against the Taliban, as well as a journalist.
– Now Støre’s government will honor them by sending a private plane at the taxpayers’ expense, he says.
– Do you think the visit to Norway will change the attitudes of the Taliban leaders?
– Absolutely not. These are staunch Islamists, as we know them from before. We know the situation in Afghanistan as it was the last time they were in power, and we know what will happen when they come to power again, he says.
Selbekk is aware that the Norwegian authorities should do everything they can to help the Afghan people.
– But when we roll out a kind of red carpet this time, it means a great propaganda victory for the Taliban regime. Norwegian authorities say there is no recognition of the Taliban. This could have been done in a completely different way than the play we now see unfolding at Oslo Airport and Soria Moria, he says.
The Taliban delegation consists of 15 men. They will meet representatives of Norway and several other countries, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.
The talks will be about human rights and emergency aid.
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