PARIS: France, Britain and Germany are working on a United Nations proposal aimed at establishing a safe zone in Kabul to allow safe passage for people trying to leave Afghanistan, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
Macron, who said France had begun discussions with the Taliban to explore how further evacuations might proceed, said the resolution would be brought on Monday to an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting of veto-wielding members.
"There are some discussions to see how flights could be re-established," Macron said in a TV interview broadcast by France's TF1, adding that Qatar was also helping negotiations.
"What we have proposed, and what we plan to bring to the U.N. Security Council along with Britain and Germany is a solution that we have used before in other operations, which would involve creating a zone allowing people to arrive at that airport."
Asked whether he was optimistic it could be accepted by the Taliban, Macron said it was too early to reach any conclusions, but he said it was worth pursuing. "It can mobilise the whole international community, and it also puts pressure on the Taliban," Macron said, adding they would have to show they were willing to respect humanitarian concerns. Discussions with the Taliban did not mean France would necessarily recognize Taliban rule officially, Macron added.
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