The participants of the Doha meeting on Afghanistan have called on the warring parties to accelerate efforts to reach a political settlement and a comprehensive ceasefire, amid the advance of the Taliban militants towards Provincial capitals.

The Afghan government and the Taliban delegations and special representatives of UN, US, UK, EU, China, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Pakistan, Germany, Norway, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and India participated the meeting.

The participants issued a joint statement at the end of the meeting on Thursday.

According to the statement, all participants agreed on the importance of accelerating the Afghan peace process and negotiating “concrete proposal from both sides.

The International community also called for an immediate cessation of violence and attacks on the Provincial capitals.

Meanwhile, the participants reiterated that the International community will not recognize any government in Afghanistan that imposed by a military takeover.

The joint statement highlighted the following key points:

1. Participants agreed that the peace process needs to be accelerated as a matter of great urgency on the basis of the negotiations of concrete proposals from both sides.

2. Participants urged both sides to take steps to build trust and accelerate efforts to reach a political settlement and comprehensive ceasefire as quickly as possible.

3. Participants called for a stop to violence and attacks immediately in and against provincial capitals and other cities.

4. Participants took note of converging statements of both sides on the following guiding principles for a political settlement: (a) inclusive governance; (b) respect for human rights, including the rights of women and minorities; (c) a mechanism to deliver a representative government, (d) a commitment does not allow any individuals or groups to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of other countries; and, (e) respect for international law, including international humanitarian law.

5. Participants called on all Afghan sides to act in accordance with these principles and build on them in the future political settlement.

6. Participants raised grave concerns about reports from across Afghanistan with respect to continued violence, large numbers of civilian casualties and extra-judicial killings, widespread and credible allegations of human rights violations, all attacks (ground and air) against provincial capitals and cities, and the destruction of physical infrastructure that perpetuate conflict and make reconciliation efforts more difficult.

7. Participants reaffirmed that they will not recognize any government in Afghanistan that is imposed through the use of military force.

8. Participants committed to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan once a viable political settlement is reached following good faith negotiations between the two sides.

9. Participants express full support and gratitude to the State of Qatar and its efforts in this regards.