KABUL - The European Union (EU) is optimistic about Afghanistan's peace process, according to EU ambassador to Kabul, Franz-Michael Mellbin.
He hopes that quadrilateral meetings between Afghanistan, Pakistan, US and China will bring the Taliban to the negotiation table.
"It's a very positive step forward. It's good to see that there is an attempt to make state actors align themselves to progress on the talks. We know that it's a process that will take quite a while to complete. Confidence building between the key state actors here is very important and I am very happy that the quadrilateral format seems to have allowed opening the space for talks with the Taliban."
"We, off course, have to see those talks take place, but as a way forward it seems that the quadrilateral formula has worked very well," he said.
The European diplomat said that the peace process will be time consuming.
"I think we will see negotiations with the Taliban at the table again within a reasonable amount of time. The key issue is that everybody should understand that one thing is to meet, something else is to have real negotiations on peace and unfortunately I believe that will take quite a while to achieve, but taking the first step again is very important and very positive and people should just allow the process to take the time it has to take."
He went on to say: "We know from many other countries that peace processes are lengthy processes and being realistic about what we can expect will be good, but having talks going on, even if they are not deep talks in the beginning, is a first very important step."
He believes that the Taliban by conducting with bombings and suicide attacks cannot achieve their goals.
"Suicide attacks don't change anything. If anything, it makes Afghan people come closer together. These attacks are purely done for messaging reasons and to mobilize money support for the Taliban by creating headlines. It has nothing to do with fight against the state. These attacks harm Afghan citizens all over the country," he said.
The third meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States is expected to take place within seven days in Islamabad, Pakistan. (Tolonews)