Johnson admits deadline stands
BORIS JOHNSON and other G7 leaders have failed to persuade the United States to keep troops in Afghanistan to continue evacuation efforts past the end of the month.
The Prime Minister was expected to press US President Joe Biden to keep his forces on the ground past August 31, as they are providing security at Kabul airport to allow people to flee the country.
However, following an emergency meeting of G7 leaders, chaired by the PM yesterday afternoon, Mr Biden said the deadline remained in place.
Mr Johnson said: “We will go right up until the last minute that we can, but you’ve heard what the President of the United States has said, you’ve heard what the Taliban have said.
“We’re confident we can get thousands more out, but the situation at the airport is not getting any better.”
He added G7 leaders had agreed the “number one condition” up to and after August 31 was that the Taliban must grant “safe passage for those who want to come out”.
Mr Johnson said there were “harrowing scenes” at Kabul airport for those attempting to flee Afghanistan, and he said G7 leaders had agreed on a “road map” for engaging with the Taliban.
He said: “What we have done today at the G7 is we have got together the leading Western powers and agreed not just a joint approach to dealing with the evacuation, but also a road map for the way in which we’re going to engage with the Taliban, as it probably will be a Taliban government in Kabul.
“The number one condition we’re setting as G7 is that they have got to guarantee, right the way through, through August 31 and beyond, safe passage for those who want to come out.
“Some will say that they don’t accept that and some, I hope, will see the sense of that, because the G7 has very considerable leverage – economic, diplomatic and political,” he added.
Mr Johnson said 9,000 people had been evacuated from Kabul so far by the UK across 57 flights. He added: “I am totally realistic about the Taliban and I don’t think that anybody is going to pretend that this is anything other than a very difficult situation, but that doesn’t mean that we should ignore the leverage that we have.
“We want to help with the humanitarian crisis, the difficulties that people in Afghanistan, people fleeing Afghanistan, are going to experience, but when it comes to engaging with the Taliban, and engaging with the government in Afghanistan, whatever its exact composition, the G7 has huge leverage.”
The Taliban earlier said it would not accept foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan past the end of the month. During a press conference in Kabul, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: “August 31 is the time given, and after that it’s something that is against the agreement.
“All people should be removed prior to that date. After that, we do not allow them, it will not be allowed in our country, we will take a different stance.”
Another Taliban spokesman said that Afghans should “return to their homes and resume their calm every-day lives”.