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NATO urges Taliban to Keep promises and reduce violence
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged the Taliban to “keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence.”
In a meeting with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Thursday, NATO Chief stated that Doha talks offer the best opportunity to gain peace in Afghanistan.
“Discussed with Ambassador Khalilzad the situation in Afghanistan. The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace,” said Stoltenberg noted that, “but Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence.”
Discussed with Amb. Khalilzad @US4AfghanPeace the situation in #Afghanistan. The Doha talks offer the best chance for peace, but Taliban must keep their promises and reduce the unacceptable level of violence. #NATO remains committed to #Afghanistan’s security. pic.twitter.com/3arOsop9gi
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) October 15, 2020
Stoltenberg assured NATO’s support to stability in the country. He stated: “NATO remains committed to Afghanistan’s security.”
Meanwhile, Zalmay Khalilzad said Thursday night that the US and the Taliban have agreed to “re-set actions by strictly adhering to the implementation of all elements of the US-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made.”
“This means reduced numbers of operations. At present too many Afghans are dying. With the re-set, we expect that number to drop significantly,” said Khalilzad in a series of tweets.
“Attacks have been on the rise in recent weeks – threatening the peace process and alarming the Afghan people and their regional and international supporters,” he added
1/4 Following several meetings General Miller and I had with the Taliban, we agreed to re-set actions by strictly adhering to implementation of all elements of the U.S.-Taliban Agreement and all commitments made.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) October 15, 2020
“We will do our part and will monitor implementation actively. All parties must deliver on their responsibilities. We thank our international partners for their assistance and support,” US Envoy tweeted.
This comes as the Taliban launched coordinated attacks on Saturday night in parts of southern Helmand province including the Lashkargah city.
The heavy clashes between the Afghan forces and the Taliban militants have forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
According to UNAMA, at least 35,000 people have been displaced due to the clashes in the province.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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