The 11-strong Taliban delegation was invited to Switzerland by the Swiss non-governmental organisation Geneva Call. Part of its mission is to meet a range of NGOs to discuss the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
They also met on Thursday with Swiss officials, led by Ambassador Raphael Nägeli, Head of the Asia Pacific Division at the Swiss foreign ministry.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Nägeli said the talks had been “open” and “honest” without producing many concrete results.
The Taliban delegation repeated a promise to open up schooling for girls in Afghanistan from next month. “We expect them to keep this promise. We will judge them by their actions and not by their words,” said Nägeli.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of kidnappings and reprisals against people associated with the former Afghan government as well as violence against human rights defenders, women and intellectuals,” he added.
During the meeting the Taliban gave security assurances for the re-opening of the Swiss cooperation office. But Nägeli said the security situation was still too fragile to make such a decision.
He added that the meeting with the Taliban delegation was “neither a legitimation nor a recognition” of the Taliban regime.
More
More
Concerns raised over talks with the Taliban in Geneva
This content was published on
Controversy surrounds the visit to Geneva of a delegation from Afghanistan’s Taliban government.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss officials to meet Taliban delegation in Geneva
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry plans to hold talks with a delegation of Afghanistan’s Taliban government on a visit to the Swiss city of Geneva.
Afghanistan: Can aid agencies prop up an entire country?
This content was published on
The United Nations is appealing for more money for Afghanistan, in a bid to prevent what aid agencies say is an imminent humanitarian catastrophe. Our newsletter and podcast looks at the role of aid agencies in Afghanistan.
This content was published on
Switzerland does not expect a sustained wave of Afghan refugees despite large numbers crossing the border in recent months.
Swiss diplomacy chief urges speedy help for Afghanistan
This content was published on
Cassis gave the opening remarks at Monday’s United Nations donor conference for the central Asian nation that fell under control of the Islamist Taliban movement. Switzerland’s diplomacy chief urged Afghanistan’s new rulers, who adhere to a hardline interpretation of Sharia (Islamic Law) to “ensure the security of humanitarian and development actors.” Respect for human rights, particularly the protection of minorities and women and girls, must be ensured, Cassis said, adding…
This content was published on
Many Afghan women fear that the past could repeat itself as Western countries, including Switzerland, struggle to respond to the Taliban’s return.
This content was published on
All Swiss citizens and people working for the Swiss development agency in Afghanistan are in safety according to Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.