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Republic’s talks team claim no discussions held on interim govt
The Afghan Republic’s negotiating team on Sunday denied claims of there having been any discussions with the Taliban regarding an interim government.
Speaking at a virtual press conference in Doha, Qatar, one negotiating team member Rasul Talib said the Taliban has not yet called for discussions on the subject.
"No discussions have been held about an interim government," said Talib.
"For the Republic's negotiating team, it's about what is actually on the negotiating table, not what they (Taliban) are talking about to the media," Talib added.
Talib also said the Taliban's head negotiator Abbas Stanikzai is not in Doha for talks but was in Moscow, delivering "propaganda speeches" in a bid to divert the public's attention from the main topic of talks.
Talib also said that pre-conditions do not lead to dialogue.
“The agenda that the Taliban has raised, there is no issue of releasing prisoners,” Talib said.
The talks team also denied claims that the team members differed on issues among themselves and also rejected claims by the Taliban that President Ashraf Ghani was putting up obstacles in the way of peace.
They said there was no truth in these claims.
“The Doha deal [between the US and the Taliban] has given the Taliban more leverage but statements by officials from the new US administration regarding the revision of this agreement are promising,” Talib said.
The team said however they hope the Taliban team returns to the negotiating tables and that the group realizes that the only way to end the war is through negotiations.
The team did however deny reports that the negotiations had stalled and pointed out that they are not able to return to Afghanistan without the permission of the High Council of National Reconciliation.
In a letter to Congress, President Joe Biden emphasized that US troops remain postured outside Afghanistan to counter threats that may arise from the country.
“United States military personnel remain postured outside Afghanistan to address threats to the United States homeland and United States interests that may arise from inside Afghanistan,” Biden said in the War Powers Report released by the White House on Friday.
The US presence in Afghanistan ended in August 2021 after 20 years of war following an agreement with the Islamic Emirate.
The Islamic Emirate has pledged in the agreement not to allow Afghanistan's territory to be used against other countries.
The Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi on Friday expressed disappointment regarding decision by the Kingdom of Norway to downgrade diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Balkhi said in a post on X that The Islamic Emirate hopes such decisions should not be linked with internal affairs of other countries.
“Diplomatic engagement is most effective when it fosters mutual understanding and respect, even amidst differing viewpoints,” he stated.
“Access to consular services is a fundamental right of all nationals. We strongly urge all parties to prioritize this principle in the spirit of international cooperation,” he added.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday that Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation, has met with British Special Representative for Afghanistan Andrew McCoubrey for talks on Afghanistan.
According to the statement, the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of health, education and humanitarian and development projects in Afghanistan were discussed.
Qatari and British officials stressed that the meeting was testimony to the strategic commitment of the two countries in support of the people of Afghanistan.
Currently, most countries cooperate only in the humanitarian sector. Some regional countries have also forged diplomatic ties with Afghanistan.
Western countries however continue to keep their diplomatic distance.
Qatar in turn is considered as a diplomatic, economic and humanitarian supporter of Afghanistan and has hosted the Doha meeting three times.
But according to experts, these meetings have not delivered tangible results so far because the sanctions have not been lifted nor have officials of the Islamic Emirate been removed from the blacklist.
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