Taliban Hold Landmark Talks With West On Food Crisis

On their first visit to Europe since returning to power, the Taliban held landmark talks with Western diplomats in Oslo on Monday over the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where hunger threatens more than half the population.

However, the international community insisted the Taliban must respect human rights before aid can be resumed to Afghanistan.

Having accepted a controversial invitation from Norway, the Taliban held talks with representatives of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, the European Union, and Norway.

The closed-door discussions were held at the Soria Moria Hotel, on a snowy hilltop outside Oslo, with the Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Afghanistan's humanitarian situation deteriorated drastically since last August when the fundamentalists stormed back to power 20 years after being toppled.

International aid came to a sudden halt, worsening the plight of millions of people already suffering from hunger after several severe droughts.

Thomas West, the US special representative for Afghanistan, tweeted on Sunday: "As we seek to address humanitarian crisis together with allies, partners, and relief orgs, we will continue clear-eyed diplomacy with the Taliban regarding our concerns and our abiding interest in a stable, rights-respecting and inclusive Afghanistan."