DOHA: Afghan government negotiators holding peace talks with the Talibancharged on Tuesday their opponents had been avoiding formal engagement formore than a week, an accusation the insurgents denied.
The two sides have been meeting in the Qatari capital Doha since Septemberin a US-backed effort to contain the violence in their country, but thenegotiations have already been interrupted by several long pauses.
“Peace and ending the violence are our people and government’s toppriority,” tweeted Afghan government negotiator Nader Nadery.
“To achieve this noble goal, the (government) peace negotiation team iscommitted and present in Doha.” His message added that no formal meetingshad been held for nine days and said “the other side is not willing toengage in talks to end the conflict and save lives”.
The Taliban rejected the suggestion they were putting off direct, formalengagement with the government side.
“Reports that the intra-Afghan talks have been delayed indefinitely arefalse, and the two teams are in touch with each other,” said the spokesmanfor the Taliban’s Doha office, Mohammad Naeem.
“No negotiations can be continuous and happening on a daily basis, sincethere may also be need for internal meetings.”
*‘Further pressure’*
Afghan government negotiators are pushing for a permanent ceasefire and toprotect governance arrangements in place since the 2001 ouster of theTaliban in a US-led invasion following the September 11 attacks that year.
The talks have however been marred from the start by an increase inviolence, and the country has seen a recent spate of high-profile targetedkillings of officials, activists and journalists.
The negotiations follow a landmark foreign troop withdrawal deal signed inFebruary 2020 by the insurgents and Washington.
The US agreed to withdraw all foreign forces within 14 months, in exchangefor security guarantees and a Taliban pledge to hold talks with Kabul.
President Joe Biden’s administration has however signalled it will reviewthe US deal with the Taliban, including whether the insurgents have reducedattacks in keeping with the agreement.