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Politicians gear up to start Istanbul Summit on April 16
Sources have told Ariana News that the Istanbul summit on the Afghan peace process will run for 10 days from April 16.
US President Joe Biden put forward a new peace plan in early March which laid out a number of suggestions including the convening of a multi-partner conference on accelerating the peace process.
The US proposed the conference to bring together Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, and the US to discuss a unified approach to support peace in Afghanistan.
US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and representatives from the UN, Turkey, and Qatar are meanwhile expected to visit Kabul Saturday evening for final consultations with the Afghan leaders over the Istanbul conference.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib stated: “We are in contact with the Turkish side. They want to hold a successful summit.”
Sources said the State Ministry for Peace Affairs is expected to hand over the Afghan politicians’ stance on Biden’s proposed peace plan for setting up an interim government in Afghanistan to the High Council for the National Reconciliation.
Mohib emphasized the need for a democratic way to transfer power.
He stated that the government is ready for holding early presidential elections and that “President Ghani will not run in the elections.”
“This government is elected by the people, the people have voted and if another government is formed via people’s vote then it is okay but the government has no right to give people’s decision to 40 people that they make a decision over the future of Afghanistan,” Mohib said.
“Today anyone wants to take part in the future government they have to prepare to run for elections,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a number of Afghan politicians said that government wants to mobilize all its support for the Istanbul summit.
Abdul Sattar Murad, a member of the Jamiat-e-Islami Afghanistan Party, said: “The Afghan government has made a unified plan for both the US and the Istanbul summit during the last one week.”
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced that it will continue providing its essential health services to the people of Afghanistan.
In a post on X, the organization, referring to Afghanistan’s health needs, said that over the past year it has been active in various health sectors across the country, ranging from maternal and child care to emergency response, as well as the treatment of patients suffering from tuberculosis and severe injuries.
According to MSF, its teams over the past year have been present at a range of health facilities, including neonatal intensive care units, operating theatres, surgical centers, and specialized tuberculosis treatment wards, where they have delivered life-saving services to patients.
The organization stressed that it will continue ensuring the provision of health services, particularly for needy families and vulnerable communities in remote areas of Afghanistan.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Japan, currently run by diplomats of the previous government, has announced that it will suspend its operations in Tokyo after the end of January 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the embassy said the decision was made after consultations with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with Japanese authorities, and in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The embassy added that after January 31, all of its political, economic, cultural, and consular activities will be halted until further notice.
Currently, Shaida Abdali is serving as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Japan.
Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, held a courtesy meeting with Zakir Jalali, the Second Political Deputy of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of the start of his mission.
The Turkish Embassy in Kabul said in a post that the meeting included mutual exchanges of views on bilateral relations.
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