Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

We Need to Engage in Talks from a United Front: Spanta

We Need to Engage in Talks from a United Front: Spanta

KABUL - Former National Security Advisor Rangin Dadfar Spanta on Thursday said that Afghanistan needs to engage in peace talks and political dialogue with the opponents from a united position and that it should involve a limited team of experts and negotiators familiar with the process rather than sending a large delegation.
He suggested that in order to reach peace, there is a need to engage in the process an inclusive, national and expert team to get breakthrough in the talks with the hostile enemies. 
He said that the real peace negotiations talks will be held with a small, but expert team in Uzbekistan.
Talking about peace with the Taliban requires a national, inclusive and limited, but expert team, he said only a few hours after the Afghan delegation's trip to Doha, Qatar, for talks with the Taliban was delayed for issues around the 250-member team's formation.
“I don’t think that (former President Hamid) Karzai will participate with a separate team,” said Spanta, referring to Karzai's participation at the meeting.
“Mr. Karzai’s team and I myself want to emphasize that we need to send an inclusive national united team which will include the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, but from a united position, but negotiating teams in the world has never been too large, but they included a limited number of people with expertise to engage in political talks which we can differentiate,” said Spanta.
But, NATO’s civilian representative to Afghanistan Nicolas Kay has said that the meeting in Qatar would be a good opportunity for peace in Afghanistan.
“I believe that Doha Institute conference is a very important opportunity for Afghans from all walks of life, political actors, but civil society, women as well to sit together with the Taliban and at least establish some communications and some understanding on the issues that will need to be solved. The Doha Institute is not a negotiation, it is a conference, it is an opportunity for people to get together and exchange views and look to the future and make some recommendations. It is not a negotiation, so I do hope that before very long there will be a delegation going from Afghanistan to Doha,” said Kay at the sideline of a lecture session on the European Union's Role in Supporting Afghan Peace Process which it was organized by the Afghan Institute of Strategic Studies (AISS).
Meanwhile, the EU Ambassador to Afghanistan Pierre Mayaudon said that meetings such as Qatar and Moscow are not a peace process, but he said that the EU is ready to cooperate in paving the way for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
“It is not a peace process until it is a direct talk with the Afghan people and the government,” said Mayaudon. “The Afghan peace process has most probably reached critical moment and we believe that it can be a moment also for Europe to bring progress and to facilitate the conclusion for peace agreement.”
He said that the EU will not show flexibility towards making a deal on the gains Afghanistan has made over the past 18 years, especially, in areas of human rights, women’s rights, the rights of the youths and minority rights.
This comes hours after the Afghan delegation's trip to Doha, Qatar, for talks with the Taliban was delayed for issues around the 250-member team's formation, sources confirmed.
The delegation was expected to leave Kabul for Doha on Thursday.
This comes a day after, President Ashraf Ghani met with members of the delegation who will hold a meeting with the Taliban in Qatar on April 20.
Ghani said the Afghan delegation which is preparing to hold discussion with the Taliban in Doha is carrying an important mission which is a dignified peace within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Ghani stated that to achieve dignified and sustainable peace in the country, there is a need for unity, solidarity, and consensus among the people of Afghanistan.
He said no Afghan from any layer of the society has not been left unharmed from the 40 years of the war imposed on the Afghans.
Ghani said the Taliban should realize the fact that the group has no way except to engage in talks with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The list of the delegation was announced by the government on Tuesday, April 15.
The list, however, has been criticized by some parties for not being inclusive. (Tolo news)