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Hopes of political settlement rise as Doha teams ‘make progress’
The Afghan Republic and the Taliban negotiating teams have reportedly made a breakthrough in talks in Doha, a member of the government’s peace team said Saturday.
According to Fatima Gailani, a member of the Afghan Republic’s team, a breakthrough was made by the contact teams of the two parties to the talks.
She said the Afghan Republic’s team hopes to reach a political agreement before the start of the Istanbul summit, scheduled for early next month.
“The contacts teams of both sides hold meetings till late every night and they have reached an important success that will be announced soon. We wish to reach a political agreement before the start of the summit in Turkey,” Gailani said.
A number of Afghan politicians are meanwhile optimistic about the planned Istanbul summit on the Afghan peace process.
Zalmai Rassoul, Afghan Ambassador to the UK, stated: “An imposed peace would not be sustainable and such peace could be risky. Pressure should be put on the Taliban so that they reduce violence and agree on a ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, the UN says that it is ready to host and manage the Istanbul summit as a mediator between the two sides.
“We’re continuing our consultations with various parties on what the participation of the UN would look like in the next steps. I think we are ready to go to our guests,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said.
This comes after Russia hosted a summit between the Afghan government and the Taliban delegations and other key stakeholders in Moscow, on Thursday, aimed at accelerating the process.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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