EU Envoy Stresses on Afghan Ceasefire, Kabul-Taliban Direct Talks

Federica Maria Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy visited Kabul on Tuesday, where she stressed on Afghan ceasefire and direct talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

Speaking at a joint press conference with President Ashraf Ghani in the Presidential Palace, Mogherini said that the European Union will continue to support and stand with the Afghan people in the ongoing peace negotiations and that will never leave them alone.

She said conditions for peace have been provided and that Afghans should move the process forward.

“Time has come for the Afghans, all the Afghans, non-excluded, to take the future of their country in their hands and for a peace process that can be really sustainable, we see the needs to meet some conditions to make any negotiation sustainable over time,” she said.

Mogherini, meanwhile, highlighted some key points which upon the European Union will be in support of the Afghan people.

“First of all a ceasefire agreed by the Taliban and peace talks with the Afghan government, an inclusive negotiation team to be established with representatives of all Afghan society including women,” Mogherini said. “Women are proved to be able to play a central role in peace negotiations worldwide.”

“Upholding and strengthening economic and social achievements of the last 18 years particularly, in the rights of women, girls, children, and minorities. I would say upholding and strengthening the constitutional framework and democratic setup of the country,” Mogherini added.

EU envoy further said that for peace to be “durable and sustainable the Afghan people are called to be not the spectators but the authors to write their own present and their own future.”

However, apart from Afghans, she said there are other players that have a “crucial” role in the peace process, the international community including the United States and regional countries including Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iran.

Mogherini, who visited Pakistan ahead of his visit to Kabul, said that Pakistani leadership expressed their support to peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

 She said that the European Union will remain committed to supporting Afghanistan.

“We will be at your side in this difficult but important journey and we do as always all we can to accompany the Afghan people and their democratically elected institutions in this particular moment of their history,” Mogherini said.    

On his turn, President Ghani indirectly pointed towards recent domestic and international political pressures about peace and said that peace cannot be achieved through threats. 

He said stability in Afghanistan is in favor of stability in the region and the world. 

He stressed the upcoming consultative Loya Jirga would provide the opportunity for Afghan people to decide on their future.