Doha Conference: Taliban Promise to Reduce Violence

The Afghan delegates and Taliban representatives who attended the two-day Intra-Afghan Dialogue Conference on Peace in Doha, the capital of Qatar, have ended the talks with ‘the two sides urging to reduce violence’ in the war-weary country.

The Taliban agreed to reduce violence by stopping attacks on “schools, education centers, religious centers, hospitals, markets, water dams, and other working locations.”

A joint committee consists of six delegates from Kabul and three representatives of the Taliban issued a joint declaration at the end of the conference late on Monday night.

The declaration which includes eight key points has considered the Doha Intra-Afghan Conference as a major step towards preventing civilian casualties in the long-term war in Afghanistan.

According to the declaration, the two sides have agreed on the following points:

• 1. Consensus on all-inclusive Afghan negotiations to achieve a sustainable, inclusive and just peace.
  2. As Afghanistan is a common house for All Afghans, all citizens are committed to a united and Islamic country and the independence of the country.
  3. Preserving Islamic system in the country. Afghanistan shall not witness another war; the international community, regional and internal elements shall respect Afghans’ values accordingly.
  4. In order to facilitate effective intra-Afghan talks to achieve peace, the fighting parties must prevent threats, revenge and should use soft words in their official statements.
  5. To keep the people safe from the war and its consequences and to build a trusted environment for peace the following steps should be taken:
     • Unconditional release of elder, disabled and ill prisoners.
     • Ensuring the safety of public institutions including schools, madrassas, hospitals, markets, water dams, and workplaces across the country.
     • Ensuring Protection educational institutions.
     • Commitment for protecting the dignity of the people, their life and property and minimize civilian casualties to zero.
  6. Assuring that women’s rights are ensured in political, social, economic, educational and cultural areas within the framework of the Islamic values.
  7. Agreeing on a roadmap for peace based on the following conditions
     • Consensus Islamic system in the country.
     • Start of the peace process simultaneously as all conditions are set.
     • Monitoring of the peace agreement.
     • Required reforms and support of basic institutions, defense, and other institutions which are belonged to all Afghans.
     • Repatriation of migrants and return of internally displaced people.
     • Support and assistance from donor countries for a peace agreement based on the new cooperation and relations.
     • Afghanistan’s peace agreement shall be approved at an international conference.
     • An assurance on zero interference from regional and other countries in Afghanistan’s affairs.
  8. We urge the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations, the European Union, and Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to approve and support the joint declaration of the Intra-Afghan Dialogue Conference on Peace in Doha.