The European Union, keen to avoid an "uncontrolled" flow of migrants from Afghanistan, will help neighboring countries host refugees fleeing the Taliban, according to a draft declaration to be considered by the bloc´s interior ministers on Tuesday.
The text, seen by AFP on Monday, states that member states are also concerned about the threat of terrorism, and pledge "to do their utmost to ensure that the situation in Afghanistan does not create new security risks for EU citizens". The document stresses "the implementation of timely security searches for evacuees from Afghanistan."
The draft declaration states that “the European Union and its member states are determined to work jointly to prevent the uncontrolled return of illegal migration movements,” as happened in 2015 when Europe witnessed the influx of more than one million migrants, most of whom fled the war in Syria.
The United Nations expects half a million Afghan refugees to leave in 2021.
The European Council recognizes “the need to support and provide adequate protection to persons in need… (and) harmonize the practices of Member States” in the treatment of Afghan asylum seekers.
The declaration, which is expected to be approved at an extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers Tuesday in Brussels, does not contain any commitment about taking in specific numbers of Afghan refugees.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Monday, European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell stressed the need to "strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries" to Afghanistan.
"Europe´s ability to host (refugees) has limits and without strong cooperation nothing can be done," he added. Neighboring countries will be more involved and ahead of Europe. So yes, that also means providing financial support to those countries as we did with Turkey in 2016 to enable them to deal with the arrival of Syrian refugees.”
In 2016, the European Union signed an agreement with Ankara providing for the return of illegal immigrants from the Greek islands to Turkey and financial assistance in receiving refugees. Turkey currently hosts more than four million migrants, the majority of whom are Syrians.
“Afghans who flee do not reach Rome immediately, but most likely to Tashkent,” Borrell said. The countries in the first line must be helped.”
The official also considered that the events in Afghanistan show Europe´s need to strengthen its military "strategic independence" and reduce its dependence on the United States in this field.
"We are proposing the creation of a ... European force that can intervene quickly in crisis situations," he said. The European Union must be able to protect its interests when Americans do not want to participate.”
Josep Borrell explained that this force "must have 5,000 elements that can be quickly mobilized."
This project has been under discussion since May among EU defense ministers. They will meet on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in Slovenia, the country that holds the rotating presidency of the 27 countries. The EU foreign ministers will meet on Thursday and Friday.
