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Local Germany
2 days ago
- Politics
- Local Germany
Taliban to send envoys to Germany to work on deportations
The flight on Friday was the second from Germany since expulsions to Afghanistan were resumed last year. Germany does not recognise the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan but does have "technical contacts" on the deportations, which have been facilitated by Qatar. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said that during the exchanges "it has been agreed that two representatives of the Afghan administration will be incorporated" into Afghanistan's missions in Germany. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) daily, the two envoys will work at the Afghan embassy in Berlin and at the country's consulate in the western city of Bonn. The Taliban authorities demanded this step in return for making last Friday's flight possible, the paper reported. The FAZ said that the names of the envoys had been sent to Berlin and that they had already worked in consular services and were not considered extremists. Germany stopped deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban movement's return to power in 2021. READ ALSO: Germany presses ahead with deportations to Afghanistan However in 2024 the last German government resumed expulsions with a flight in August carrying 28 Afghans. Current chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to continue deportations, having made a tougher line on immigration a key campaign theme in February's general election. Kornelius said that further flights were in the offing. Advertisement "The government has committed to systematic expulsions of those convicted of crimes and this will not be accomplished with just one flight," he said.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Taliban to send envoys to Germany to work on deportations
BERLIN: The German government said Monday that Afghanistan's Taliban administration will send two envoys to Germany to help with deportations, days after 81 convicted Afghans were sent back to their homeland. The flight on Friday was the second from Germany since expulsions to Afghanistan were resumed last year. Germany does not recognise the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan but does have 'technical contacts' on the deportations, which have been facilitated by Qatar. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said that during the exchanges 'it has been agreed that two representatives of the Afghan administration will be incorporated' into Afghanistan's missions in Germany. Germany must honour visa obligations to Afghan refugees, rules court According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) daily, the two envoys will work at the Afghan embassy in Berlin and at the country's consulate in the western city of Bonn. The Taliban authorities demanded this step in return for making last Friday's flight possible, the paper reported. The FAZ said that the names of the envoys had been sent to Berlin and that they had already worked in consular services and were not considered extremists. Germany stopped deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban movement's return to power in 2021. However last year the last German government resumed expulsions with a flight in August carrying 28 Afghans. Current chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to continue deportations, having made a tougher line on immigration a key campaign theme in February's general election. Kornelius said that further flights were in the offing. 'The government has committed to systematic expulsions of those convicted of crimes and this will not be accomplished with just one flight,' he said.
TimesLIVE
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Mercedes sees itself as 'sounding board' in tariff talks, says Kaellenius
Mercedes-Benz views itself as a 'sounding board' that contributes ideas in tariff negotiations between the EU and the US, CEO Ola Kaellenius told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper on Thursday. 'As a company, we hold talks with political decisionmakers — in the EU as well as in China and the US,' said Kaellenius. 'However, negotiations take place at EU level because trade policy falls within the EU's remit. We are available as a sounding board, contributing ideas and presenting scenarios showing how certain decisions would affect us.' Mercedes-Benz, as well as BMW and Volkswagen, are in talks with Washington over a possible import tariff deal, sources told Reuters late last month. Under one proposal, German carmakers would get credits for cars they export from the US, which could then be deducted from tariffs, one of the sources said. Kaellenius' interview was published hours before Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will hold his first face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump as Europe seeks to stave off looming US tariffs.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Issue of trade or tariff did not come up': India once again dismisses Trump administration's claim on India-Pakistan ceasefire
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday once again rejected the Trump administration's claim that US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by offering trade incentives. Speaking in response to a recent filing by the Trump administration in a US court, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'Regarding the court filing in the United States, I hope you have seen the court order as well. Our position on this particular issue that you mentioned has been well articulated. I would refer you to our position that was made clear on 13th of May.' He clarified that the military situation was discussed between Indian and US leaders from the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7 until the ceasefire on May 10, but 'the issue of trade or tariff did not come up in any of those discussions.' Jaiswal added, 'External affairs minister (S Jaishankar) has also made clear that the secession of firing was decided upon through direct contacts between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan.' Ceasefire only achieved after Trump and offered both nations trading access: Trump This follows a submission by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to the US Court of International Trade, in which he claimed, 'India and Pakistan - two nuclear powers engaged in combat operations just 13 days ago - reached a tenuous ceasefire on May 10, 2025. This ceasefire was only achieved after President Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the United States to avert a full-scale war.' Lutnick argued that invalidating Trump's use of emergency economic powers would undermine diplomacy, saying, 'An adverse ruling that constrains presidential power in this case could lead India and Pakistan to question the validity of President Trump's offer, threatening the security of an entire region, and the lives of millions.' India has consistently maintained that no third-party involvement was part of the ceasefire decision. External affairs minister S Jaishankar had earlier dismissed the notion of US mediation. In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Jaishankar said, 'The cessation of firing was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact.' He added, 'The morning before, we effectively hit and incapacitated Pakistan's main airbases and air defence system. So who should I thank for the cessation of hostilities? I thank the Indian military because it was the Indian military action that made Pakistan say: We are ready to stop. ' Also read: Jaishankar denies US role in ceasefire with Pakistan, says 'draw your conclusions' on China link Pushing back against claims that the situation risked nuclear escalation, Jaishankar said, 'Very, very far away. I'm frankly astonished by your question.' He explained that India's response targeted terrorist infrastructure with 'measured, carefully considered and non-escalating steps,' and that firing only stopped 'at their request.' Trump has repeatedly asserted that he helped resolve the conflict and said America offered to do 'a lot of trade' with both nations to end the hostilities. However, New Delhi has consistently maintained that the ceasefire came solely through direct military engagement and without any US-brokered deal.
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Trumps trade offer led to India-Pakistan ceasefire White House
The US commerce secretary has said the truce between the two South Asian nations happened due to the presidents intervention The US government has claimed in an official court submission that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was agreed after President Donald Trump intervened and offered both countries "access to the American market." Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicktoldthe US Court of International Trade last week that the ceasefire "was only achieved after President Trump interceded and offered both nations trading access with the United States to avert a full-scale war." Lutnick also argued that narrowing the president's emergency tariff powers would weaken US global influence and threaten the fragile India-Pakistan truce. Lutnick was referring to the ceasefire announced by New Delhi and Islamabad on May 10, after a four-day military standoff between the two nuclear powers. India launched a military operation, codenamed Sindoor, on May 7, targeting nine cites in Pakistan which it referred to as "terrorist camps." The move was in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in India's Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory in late April that killed 26 tourists, New Delhi maintained. Islamabad has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack. Trump was the first to announce the ceasefire in a social media post. He later claimed on several occasions that he had intervened at a critical moment in the standoff and had told both countries: "I was 'gonna do a lot of trade with you, let's stop it." Immediately after Trump's comments, Indian Foreign Ministry sourcesdismissedclaims that the US had threatened to reduce trade as a means of brokering a ceasefire. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri recently told a parliamentary committee that the US was "neither involved nor informed" about the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in a series of interviews with European media outlets this weekrejectedthe role of Trump in reaching ceasefire. "The cessation of firing was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact," he told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Lutnick's court statement came amid efforts to negotiate a bilateral trade deal between India and the US. Indian Foreign Secretary Misri is currently in Washington for high-level talks on finalizing the trade pact before the deadline announced by Trump. The US in April imposed an additional 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, but suspended it for 90 days until July 9, keeping the baseline 10% tariff in place. (
