KABUL (Pajhwok): France has begun technical talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to facilitate the deportation of some Afghans living illegally in the country who are considered a threat to national security by French authorities, the French Foreign Ministry has confirmed.
According to a transcript of a press briefing published on the ministry’s official website on Thursday, a ministry spokesperson confirmed the talks in response to a journalist’s question about an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report on the issue.
“I confirm this. This measure is primarily aimed at ensuring the security of French citizens,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the talks were purely technical, similar to measures taken by some other European countries, and aimed at facilitating the return of Afghans who are living illegally in France and are considered a security threat by French authorities.
Those targeted for deportation are individuals whom French authorities consider dangerous, the spokesperson added.
Asked how many Afghans could be deported, the spokesperson said the French Interior Ministry had information on the matter.
The spokesperson stressed that asylum seekers and women would not be included in the measure, which is intended to facilitate the return of individuals considered a threat to France’s security.
The spokesperson was also asked whether France planned to accept IEA representatives in the country, as Germany has done, to facilitate the deportation of Afghan nationals, and whether the initiative was part of a joint European Union programme.
In response, the spokesperson said no such move was currently planned and that the discussions remained at the technical level, with the specific aim of facilitating the deportation of the individuals concerned.
AFP reported on Wednesday, citing informed sources, that France had begun technical talks with the IEA to facilitate the deportation of some Afghan nationals who are living illegally in the country and are considered a threat to national security by French authorities.
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