KABUL- Reports of the United States and Taliban political leaders havingheld secret talks has been met by mixed reaction in the country.
America’s NBC News reported that according to the Taliban, talks have beenheld in Afghanistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, TOLO news hasreported.
One negotiator said Taliban delegations had been joined by “never more thanfive” Americans for a series of meetings in hotel suites in Doha, Qatar.
NBC quoted three Taliban commanders who said four of the group’s politicalleaders met with US officials on a number of occasions andthat talks are ongoing.
The US State Department has not confirmed having held talks with Talibanleaders, but has said Washington is eager to end the war.
“The United States is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process inclose consultation with the Afghan government,” a spokesman for the statedepartment told NBC News.
Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC) meanwhile said government has calledon all foreign countries to use what influence they might have on theTaliban to get them to the negotiations table.
The HPC said however no talks will have a positive outcome unless theyare Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.
“If the negotiations are not done between the Afghans and if otherpeople do the negotiations on behalf of the Afghans, such negotiations willnot result in peace,” HPC head secretariat Mohammad Akram Khpolwak said.
NBC meanwhile reported that the secretive talks have been held in hotelsand that amid concerns about their own safety, the Taliban delegates havetaken steps to not be identified by the intelligence services of Russia,China and Arab countries.
The news channel also reported that the Taliban leaders arrived at themeetings separately and did not even enter the meeting rooms together.
NBC News meanwhile stated in its report that it could not confirm theaccounts by the Taliban officials, who all spoke on the condition ofanonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
But one Meshrano Jirga senator, Gul Ahmad Azimi said: “If the Americansdirectly enter into negotiations with the anti-armed groups, then theexistence of the Afghan people and Afghan government will be questioned.”
According to the NBC report, the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan,changing prisoners and letting the Afghans decide their own future are theissues that Taliban leaders have mentioned in their talks with USofficials.
This comes after the New York Times reported last week that US PresidentDonald Trump’s administration has told its top diplomats to seek directtalks with the Taliban, in the hope of jump-starting negotiations to endthe 17-year war.
In further developments around peace, President Ashraf Ghani’s spokesmanHaroon Chakhansuri said on Saturday at a press conference in Kabul thatthere was the possibility of another ceasefire.
He said government might announce another truce over Eid al-Adha nextmonth.
Chakhansuri said both sides, government and Taliban, are eager to announcea ceasefire.
“There is the possibility that a ceasefire will be announced over Eidal-Adha. But it’s details will be shared with you through the media at thetime of the announcement,” said Chakhansuri.