Swiss group: Taliban make pledges on education, aid workers

Organizers of a closed-door conference in Switzerland attended by envoys from Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership say the delegation pledged to safeguard humanitarian aid workers, facilitate education for all Afghans, and to promote environmental protections

GENEVA -- Organizers of a closed-door conference in Switzerland attended by envoys from Afghanistan's Taliban leadership said Friday that the delegation pledged to safeguard humanitarian aid workers, facilitate education for all Afghans, and to promote environmental protections.

The humanitarian foundation Geneva Call invited a delegation to the Swiss city this week to discuss international aid, the safety of civilians, respect for health care, the landmines and explosives left behind from decades of war in Afghanistan, and other issues.

The envoys, led by the Health Ministry under the Islamic emirate, also met with diplomats and groups like the World Health Organization and the International Committee for the Red Cross, which have their headquarters in Geneva.

After meeting with members of the Afghan delegation on Thursday, Raphael Naegeli, the head of the Asia-Pacific division of Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, said they “realized that they must take the first step” and had shown an interest “to create a dialogue with the international community.”