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Chief peace negotiator says key topic in talks will be ceasefire
Afghanistan’s chief peace negotiator Masoom Stanekzai said on Wednesday that while he knows Afghans want a “quick result”, which is not possible, the focus will be on a ceasefire when talks resume.
Speaking at a gathering at the Institute for Peace Studies in Kabul, Stanekzai said: “We will go to the negotiations with a strong will.”
“Ending the war in Afghanistan is the demand of the people of the country,” he added.
This comes just days ahead of peace talks resuming in Doha between the Afghan republic’s team and the Taliban’s team.
“We know the people expect a quick result, but it’s a little difficult as it’s not just in our hands,” Stanekzai said.
“Security is very important for the people of Afghanistan, which includes a ceasefire, highway security and other issues,” he said adding that there is a difference of opinion over the governing system for the country going forward.
He stated however that one of the first issues to be raised by the Afghan republic’s team would be that of a ceasefire.
Farooq Majroh, a member of the peace negotiating team, also spoke at the event and said “for the past three months of negotiations we have shown a will for peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
Mohammad Natiqi, another team member said “after lots of discussions we convinced the religious scholars in Qatar, to declare Afghan war unjust.”
“The UN supports the system we currently have, not the one the Taliban are talking about. In the next round, we will defend our system,” he said.
Peace talks started on September 12 in Doha but soon hit a deadlock over the rules and procedures of talks going forward. However, in early December both sides were able to reach consensus on the issue.
They then took a three week break and are expected to resume talks on January 5.
The Ministry of Interior has announced the delivery of several new, modern cars to the General Directorate of Traffic Police, replacing the older fleet that consisted mostly of trucks.
According to a ministry statement, the new vehicles, equipped with special traffic police colors, markings, and modern equipment, are expected to play a key role in maintaining traffic order in cities and on main roads, preventing accidents, and providing faster services to the public.
Azerbaijan has released 14 Afghan nationals from its prisons, Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.
The ministry said in a statement that the release happened following efforts by Afghanistan’s embassy in Baku.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its appreciation to Azerbaijan and relevant authorities for their cooperation and humanitarian action. It also reaffirmed that the IEA will continue to follow up on and resolve the cases of Afghan prisoners.
Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says Washington is largely satisfied with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) efforts against terrorism, though progress in broader relations remains hindered by the issue of prisoners.
In an interview with NDTV, Khalilzad said the United States views the detention of at least two American citizens in Afghanistan as the primary obstacle to improving ties.
Khalilzad highlighted what he described as a “significant degree of satisfaction” in the U.S. assessment of the IEA’s counterterrorism commitments under the Doha Agreement. He said the IEA continue to fight Daesh, a group they have long considered an enemy. Many Daesh militants, he added, have been pushed out of Afghanistan and are now in Pakistan.
At the same time, Khalilzad said concerns remain regarding human rights and the political role of non-IEA Afghans.
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