The stage is finally set in the Qatari capital Doha for the warring Afghanparties to settle their differences through talks.
The US, Qatari, and Afghan governments as well as the Taliban leaders onThursday simultaneously announced their readiness to kick start the crucialintra-Afghan dialogue process on Saturday. Incidentally the talks willbegin a day after the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacksagainst the US. These attacks led the US and its allies to invadeAfghanistan to depose the Taliban government.
A chartered plane left Kabul for Doha carrying the last batch of six highprofile Taliban militant prisoners. Another plane also headed to Dohacarrying Afghan delegates representing Kabul.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is scheduled to join Abdullah Abdullah,chairman of the negotiating team from Kabul, and Sheikh Mawlawi AbdulHakim, the Taliban’s top negotiator, to participate in the inauguralsession of negotiations.
Official sources confirmed to Anadolu Agency that owing to stern oppositiontowards the release of six prisoners, an arrangement has been found to keepthem under house arrest in Doha. According to an agreement between the USand Taliban, the Afghanistan government was bound to release 5000 Talibanprisoners in exchange for 1000 security forces.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Fawzia Koofi, a prominent female member of theAfghan delegation said their primary target would be to secure a ceasefire.
“If there is nothing substantial on the ground for the common Afghans tosee than there would be no confidence in the whole process”, she said.
She had survived an attempt on her life by unknown gunmen two months agothat injured her right hand. The Taliban denied their involvement in theattack.
Emirate v/s Republic
While the Taliban have been demanding converting Afghanistan into anIslamic Emirate — a totalitarian Islamic state, people familiar with thedialogue process said the Afghan government representatives will try tosecure the current system of governance.
“Both sides are standing firm on their stance at the two extreme ends withone [Taliban] seeking to topple the government in Kabul or at least see aninterim government takeover, while the other [Afghan government] isunwavering in its resolve to keep the system intact and push the militantsto observe ceasefire”, said Habib Rehman a political analyst.
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Mohammad Naeem, newly appointed spokesman for the Taliban’s Qatar officesaid his group intends to carry out the negotiation process and establishdurable peace and a pure Islamic system, within the framework of Islamicvalues and the highest interests of the country.
Rehman argued the rejuvenated Afghan peace process is mainly driven by theUS to begin its exit to score points in the presidential polls.
“The Afghan sides are likely to be compelled towards a compromise by thesame force, the Americans, who have pushed the process this far”, he toldAnadolu Agency.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the US peace mediator on Wednesday apprehended thatspoilers will become desperate in their attempt to disrupt the process asthe talks proceed.
The US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation said in aseries of tweets that the attack on Vice President Amrullah Saleh’s convoyis the latest example of it.
“History has shown that when the opportunity for peace is close, spoilerswill go to no end to try and stop it. Afghans are not falling for theirtrap”, he tweeted.
Khalilzad said Afghans know a successful peace process is the only antidoteto the country’s protracted conflict.
“Their widespread yearning for peace will be for the two negotiating teamsand their leaders’ to satisfy”, he said, while taking to Twitter. – AnadoluAgency
