Tageszeitung, 14 August 2024
AAN’s Thomas Ruttig und Tageszeitung’s Cem-Odos Güler interview Ralf Stegner, chairman of the German Bundestag’s Afghanistan Inquiry Committee on the last phase (the evacuation) of the Afghanistan mission. Stegner is hard-hitting, saying that German authorities often prioritised “bureaucracy over humanity” – “instead of helping hands-on in cases of doubt”.
He calls the last days at Kabul airport “catastrophic.” About the run-up to this phase, he asks: “Why did we work with a corrupt government and then wonder why there was no loyalty to it? Why did we have so little knowledge of the country?” He praised Germany’s development cooperation as “really good. Our development workers have kept away from corruption, which is why the Germans still have a good reputation in Afghanistan – the same goes for our police officers and soldiers.”
He also says “that you need contacts [with the Taleban] if you want to have influence – that is my understanding of foreign policy.” But I am also one of those who say that you don’t have to exchange ambassadors and roll out red carpets with the Taliban.” He also believes “that it is possible to reach an agreement with the Taliban that they will take people [rejected Afghan asylum seekers] back”. And, optimistically: “We have contacts to ensure that agreements are adhered to and ways to verify this.”
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 23 Aug 2024
