Dendias on Afghanistan: EU borders should be protected

The European Union’s external borders must be protected and migrants must not be allowed to be used as a political tool, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said during an EU Foreign Ministers videoconference on Tuesday.

The extraordinary meeting was held to discuss developments in Afghanistan.

Dendias said the evacuation of all EU citizens is an urgent priority and welcomed plans of some EU member states to include in the evacuation Afghan nationals who had worked as interpreters for Greek forces in the country, as part of a NATO mission, and their families, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

The minister told his counterparts that the EU should stress the need for a representative government in Afghanistan and the Taliban must respect fundamental rights and freedoms, and guarantee the protection of women, minors and minorities, as well as of cultural heritage.

Dendias warned that migration flows would increase, and a new humanitarian crisis should be averted and called for an agreement and collaboration on the issue and a clear message to third countries like Turkey that migrants must not be used for political means.

[ANA-MPA]