Blinken to visit Qatar, Germany over Afghan issue

Washington : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that he will soon travel to Qatar and then Germany to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.
“On Sunday, I’ll be travelling to Doha, where I’ll meet with Qatari leaders to express our deep gratitude for all that they’re doing to support the evacuation effort,” Blinken told reporters during a press briefing here on Friday.
In Germany, Blinken will meet his German counterpart Heiko Maas and hold a ministerial meeting on Afghanistan with over 20 countries that “have a stake in” relocating and settling Afghans.
Blinken said earlier this week that the US had suspended its diplomatic presence in Kabul but will manage diplomacy with Afghanistan from Doha, Qatar.
“Our new team in Doha is up and running,” he said in the briefing on Friday.
The Secretary of State noted that the US continues to maintain communication channels with the Afghan Taliban “on issues that are important to us, starting with the commitment to let people leave Afghanistan should they choose to do so”.