*KABUL: *Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered recognition of Talibaninsurgents as a legitimate political group on Wednesday as part of aproposed political process that could lead to talks aimed at ending morethan 16 years of war.
The offer, made at the start of an international conference aimed atcreating a platform for peace talks, adds to a series of signals from boththe Western-backed government and the Taliban suggesting a greaterwillingness to consider dialogue.
Ghani proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners. He also said hewould be ready to accept a review of the constitution as part of a pactwith the Taliban, who have so far refused to accept direct talks with thegovernment in Kabul.
“The government offers peace negotiations to the Taliban without anyconditions,” Ghani said in opening remarks to the conference attended byofficials from around 25 countries involved in the so called Kabul Process.
The comments represented a significant shift for Ghani, who in the past hasregularly called the Taliban ‘terrorists’ and ‘rebels’ although he has alsooffered to talk with parts of the movement that accepted peace.
The Taliban, fighting to restore Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster byUS-led troops, have offered to begin talks with the United States but haveso far refused direct talks with Kabul. It was unclear whether they wouldbe prepared to shift their stance, despite growing international pressure.
Ghani said a political framework for peace negotiations should be createdwith a ceasefire and the Taliban recognised as a legitimate political groupwith an official political office. In return, the movement would have torecognise the Afghan government and respect the rule of law.
In addition, Taliban prisoners could be released and their names removedfrom international blacklists, while security arrangements could be madefor Taliban agreeing to join a process of reconciliation. Former fightersand refugees could be reintegrated and provided with jobs.
The United States last year stepped up its military assistance toAfghanistan, notably through a sharp increase in air strikes, with the aimof breaking a stalemate with the insurgents and forcing them to thenegotiating table.
While the US military says the strategy has hit the Taliban hard, theystill control or contest much of the country and continue to inflict severecasualties on Afghan forces. They also claimed responsibility for two majorattacks in Kabul last month that killed or wounded hundreds of civilians.
During the conference, President Ghani called on Pakistan to holdgovernment-t0-government talks, *TOLOlink>*
link>newsreported. “We will be ready to starts talks with Pakistan and forget thepast and start a new chapter,” he proposed. – Agencies