Talks will be a test for both sides but US will be on hand to help: Khalilzad

In a special briefing ahead of the historic start to the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha on Saturday, the United States’ special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said peace talks is a test for both sides – for the Taliban and for the Afghan government. 

In the video conference briefing via the US State Department, Khalilzad, who is in Doha, raised the question of whether the two sides could “reach an agreement despite differences in terms of their visions for the future of Afghanistan?

He pointed out that the peace talks process had reached an important juncture but that there are difficulties and significant challenges in the way of reaching an agreement. 

However, the US was prepared to assist if needed, he said, adding that this phase is a new stage in diplomacy path to peace. 

Khalilzad stated that from now on the process is Afghan-owned and Afghan-led and that there will be no foreign mediators nor facilitators when the sides hold their talks. 

“They will be talking to each other. The secretariat of the conference will also be carried out, that function, by the Afghans from the two sides,” he said.

On the issue of the release of Taliban prisoners, especially the “high risk” ones, Khalilzad explained that although no one is “happy about the release of prisoners that committed violence or – against our forces, but we want to keep the big picture in mind, unhappy as we are.  But we’re hopeful that that step, the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, can lead to the end in the war and that Afghanistan never again becomes a threat to any of us.”

He said he felt that logic was compelling and that the countries concerned do understand that this was an Afghan decision – albeit a difficult one. 

This statement comes after the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners – the final “high-risk” six having been flown to Qatar on Thursday where they will be held under supervision. 

Another point noted was that of the recent assassination attempt on First Vice President Amrullah Saleh’s life. 

Saleh escaped with only minor injuries when his convoy of vehicles was targeted in a roadside bombing. However, at least 10 civilians were killed in the early morning attack. 

This was yet another in a string of targeted killings and attempted assassinations – which prompted Khalilzad to say there “are spoilers who don’t want the peace process to take place or to go forward, and there are people who prefer the status quo to a peace agreement.”

“There are people who prefer the US to remain entangled in a conflict in Afghanistan.  And a number of players are bad and some are at war also not only with the government but they are at war with the Talibs as well.”

He said one such group is Daesh, and that Daesh has been responsible for quite a lot of violence in Afghanistan. He said the group itself “does not want the peace process to go forward.”

He pointed out however that the Taliban continues to fight Daesh and stated that “they have done some of the heavy lifting in the fight against Daesh in Afghanistan, and the government is fighting it too.”

Khalilzad also said that in light of upcoming elections in the US, he was hoping that progress would have been made regarding negotiations by that time. 

With the possibility of a change in administration should Donald Trump lose the race, Khalilzad said he was committed to staying at least until the elections. 

Khalilzad also reiterated what had been said earlier in the week about the US troops drawdown and said that between mid-October and mid-November numbers would be down to about 4,500. 

One of the key concerns around the issue of a peace deal has been that regarding women’s rights and on that note Khalilzad made it clear that this is of critical importance to the US. 

“That’s the second-most important issue for us after terrorism, and we encourage that women participate in the negotiations.  And as I said, four women are part of the Islamic Republic negotiations team. I expect them to be fully prepared to defend their rights,” he said. 

In conclusion, Khalilzad said that although there would be no mediators or facilitators in the peace talks, the US will “be prepared to help when our help is needed. We’ll obviously be monitoring; we’ll be engaging each side. And we are very good at – obviously, that’s one of our comparative advantages.”

He said: “We think all of the problems – there can be a solution if the will is there. If bridging formulas are needed, then we’ll have to think about it.  We’ll consider; we will help.”

But he made it clear that this was an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, “and if they don’t need our help, that will be fine.”