KABUL - Pierre Mayaudon, the European Union (EU) Head of Delegation to Afghanistan on Wednesday said that the absence of response by the Taliban militant group to President Ghani’s peace offer is not a sign of refusal or a matter of concern.
“The absence of response by the Taliban or visible response by the Taliban is not a sign of refusal. Maybe it is a sign that they are debating about the kind of response they can give to this peace plan,” Ambassador Mayaudon told reporters at the sideline of a conference held in Kabul under the name of “Afghan Culture, Culture of Peace”.
Mr. Mayaudon called President Ghani’s peace offer to the Taliban “unprecedented, comprehensive, global, and very encouraging”.
In addition, he said the EU has suggested Taliban to “seriously consider” the peace opportunity and enter into dialogue with the Afghan government.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Ambassador to Kabul François Rivest said that his country is very supportive of Afghan government peace proposal and expressed hope that Taliban would come to the table.
“My main message to the Taliban is that the people of Afghanistan, of all ethnic, origins of both gender, women and men, boys and girls, are tired of war and they want a peace process,” Ambassador François Rivest said. “Afghanistan will only move forward if peace is achieved.”
At the same event, Abdul Hakim Mujahid Deputy of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council said that “Taliban is discussing the government peace offer and they are expected to give a positive response in an appropriate time”.
However, experts believe that the key to Afghan peace process is with Pakistan, adding that insurgents will not join to talks until Islamabad is not ready for cooperation. (ATN)