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EU calls for reconciliation council issues to be resolved urgently
The EU in Kabul on Thursday night called for the swift “establishment and operationalisation of the High Council for National Reconciliation” and also expressed concern about the ongoing high level of violence in Afghanistan.
In a statement issued on Twitter, the EU Delegation and EU Heads of Mission in Kabul stated: “We express deep concern about the continuing high level of violence and the security situation in Afghanistan, especially the number of civilian casualties and call for an immediate permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and full respect of International Humanitarian Law.”
The EU also reaffirmed its strong support “to a balanced Afghan Peace Process.”
“Reaching a sustainable outcome respecting the rights and aspirations of the Afghan people will be best served by a strong political unity on the side of the Republic and the inclusion of all Afghan voices in the process,” read their statement.
They said: “In that context, we encourage the swift establishment and operationalization of the High Council of National Reconciliation as the body designated to provide guidance to the negotiations.
“In addition to political leaders, the membership of the Council should include a diverse membership representing women’s groups, war victims, religious minorities, youth and civil society organizations.”
The lack of operational progress around the high council has drawn sharp criticism in the past few weeks – especially as no progress has been made about formalizing the peace body.
Although Abdullah Abdullah is the head of the council, President Ashraf Gahni appointed 46 members to the body in August – a move that was objected to by not only Abdullah but also a number of politicians whose names were on the list.
The council is intended to oversee the Afghan peace negotiating team and to make necessary decisions based on the team’s reports. It’s function is also to build regional and foreign support for the intra-Afghan negotiations.
However Abdullah has also been criticized over the issue and critics have stated that instead of resolving the lack of progress around its structure and operations, Abdullah has instead chosen to focus on foreign trips.
In the past six weeks Abdullah has visited Iran, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkey in a bid to build regional consensus on the Afghan peace process.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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