Danish calls on US to revise Afghan peace process

As peace talks continued in Doha and the war intensified in a number of provinces, second vice president Sarwar Danish on Monday called for a revision and evaluation of the Afghan peace talks with the Taliban by the new US administration.

“We thank all countries who supported the peace process, especially the US, and hope this process undergoes a thorough revision and all sides continue their support in a more responsible way based on the existing realities,” said Danish.

Speaking at an event in Kabul he said the lack of flexibility by the Taliban have caused the Doha negotiations to stall.

“Taliban’s inflexibility is the main cause of existing stalemate in Doha talks,” Danish said.
According to Danish government has released more than 6,000 Taliban prisoners since the Doha agreement, but some of them have returned to the battlefields.

“People of Afghanistan have lost their trust in the peace process and blame the Afghan government for the release of Taliban prisoners while most of the released prisoners have rejoined battlegrounds,” Danish added.

Meanwhile, Danesh said that the US and Taliban agreement as the basis for the ongoing talks in Doha is not acceptable for the Afghan government.

“We did not sign this agreement, were not a side to it, did not approve it, and have no legal responsibility regarding its provisions,” said Danish.

On the other hand Taliban spokesman in Doha, Mohammad Naeem said Sunday the US president-elect Joe Biden will hopefully stick to the Doha agreement signed between the group and the US in February.

It was this “conditions-based” agreement that paved the way for US troops withdrawals and for peace talks between the Afghan negotiating team and the Taliban.

Doha agreement was signed between the group and the US in February to end the US long lasting war in Afghanistan.

“No mention of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Doha agreement, nor can we legally base it on our negotiations, so we are at a deadlock,” said Sayed Sadat Mansoor Naderi, Afghan State Minister for Peace.

The remarks come amid stalled talks as neither side has been unable to agree on the agenda for the talks.