Afghanistan, today extraordinary G7. Taliban: “August 31 red line”

The extraordinary videoconference meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan is held today. “It is vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations, prevent a humanitarian crisis and support the Afghan people,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In the spotlight, the timing of evacuation and completion of the withdrawal, in the aftermath of the Taliban warning: the date of August 31 is “a red line”, said a spokesperson, “if the United States or the United Kingdom should take more time to continue transfers, the answer is ‘no’ “. “Or there would be consequences”, he threatened, speaking of the “mistrust that would be created”. “If they intend to continue the occupation – he warned – this would provoke a reaction”. Downing Street in reporting the phone call between the US president and the British premier, reported that Joe Biden and Boris Johnson have “agreed to continue working together to ensure that those entitled to leave are able to do so, even after the end of the initial phase of the evacuation. ” The evacuation operations at the center of the call between Johnson and Biden, reported Downing Street, concern British and US citizens and those who have collaborated with their respective governments. The British premier and the US president underlined “the importance of a concerted diplomatic commitment to guarantee the progress made in Afghanistan and prevent a humanitarian crisis”. London and Washington also pledge to “lead international action, including through the G7 and the United Nations Security Council, to stabilize the situation, support the Afghan people and work towards an inclusive and representative Afghan government”. Yesterday the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, we read in a note from Palazzo Chigi, met in the afternoon at Palazzo Chigi the Foreign and Defense Ministers, Luigi Di Maio and Lorenzo Guerini, the Undersecretary with responsibility for the Security of the Republic, Franco Gabrielli, and the director general of Dis, Elisabetta Belloni, to discuss the latest developments in the situation in Afghanistan in view of the extraordinary G7 meeting this afternoon.