Afghans Take Peace Talks ‘Seriously’ When Initiated with Gov’t: Abdullah

Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Monday that Afghans would take the progress in the peace process “seriously” when the Taliban sit down in negotiating table with the Afghan government.

 The U.S. has so far held at least three round of peace talks with the Taliban as part of the diplomatic efforts to end the nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan.

 Several regional countries including Russia, Pakistan, Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia have been involved in the talks; but, the Taliban has rejected repeated requests from regional powers to sit down in negotiating table with the Afghan government, insisting that the United States is their main adversary.

Speaking at Council of Ministers meeting today, CEO Abdullah said that they would consider the ongoing peace talks seriously when the Taliban directly negotiate with the Afghan government.

Abdullah stressed that no one can take charge in Afghanistan by terror and killings of innocent people, apparently referring to the Taliban.  

“I can assure you that it is impossible and it won’t happen,” he said.

Though, the Afghan government has formed an advisory board and a negotiating team as part of the efforts to initiate peace talks with the Taliban; however, it seems both structures were being sidelined and regional countries are the main players in the process.  

“A regional consensus should be formed so that it could address the concerns of the regional countries – seeing their interests at risk in the politician future of Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Alam Ezadyar, first deputy of Afghanistan’s Senate House.