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Abdullah addresses HCNR meeting, confirms talks to resume January 5
Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation on Saturday confirmed the second round of peace talks will resume on January 5.
He did not state where the talks would be held but did say “the venue for the talks should not be an obstacle.”
This comes after numerous calls have been made in the past few weeks by public figures, including Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, for the talks to move from Doha, Qatar, to Afghanistan.
Government officials have said the talks are between Afghans and should therefore be held on Afghan soil. However, no indication has yet been made as to whether the talks will continue in Doha or whether they will be moved to a new location.
In a series of tweets, Abdullah said on Saturday the talks team would report to the HCNR, and specifically to the Leadership Council.
“You will report to the HCNR, and to the Leadership Committee. We are here to listen to you, and support you at all levels. The LC meetings will take place on a regular basis,” he said.
“You are representing the Republic of Afghanistan, and it’s great people. You can enter into talks with Taliban, and discuss all the topics of the agenda. You have to demonstrate that peace is a priority for the republic,” Abdullah said.
“I thank all the leaders, members of LC and prominent personalities attending today’s LC’s meeting for demonstrating unity, and for their unanimous support for the peace process, and the republic’s negotiation team, and referring to the HCNR as the only body to represent the peace efforts,” he said.
Other prominent figures, including First Vice President Amrullah Saleh and former president Hamid Karzai also addressed the meeting.
Karzai said the talks team was doing a good job but that Afghans were in urgent need of peace.
Saleh in turn stated the Afghan war was extremely complicated and that external influence was much greater than internal interference.
He also warned against the further killing of elders, activists and journalists and said the peace process will be impacted by this if it carries on.
This is the second formal meeting of the HCNR this month.
On December 5, Ghani inaugurated the first meeting after having established the council a few months ago.
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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.
During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.
Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.
Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.
He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.
Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.
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