KABUL - US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation on Sunday urged all parties to the Afghan peace process to accelerate the initiative and to start intra-Afghan negotiations as soon as possible.
In a tweet condemning the attempted assassination of peace negotiator and political activist Fawzia Koofi, Khalilzad said the attack had been a “cowardly and criminal act by those who seek to delay and disrupt the Afghan peace process.”
He said Koofi’s voice was an important one in the process as she has been a strong advocate of women’s rights throughout the process.
Unknown gunmen shot Koofi on Friday afternoon. She survived the attack but was shot in her right hand.
The incident took place on the Kabul-Parwan highway when Koofi and her sister stopped their vehicle to purchase something along the way.
Khalilzad said meanwhile the US was relieved she escaped without serious injury but he called on all sides “who seek peace to not only condemn the attack but to accelerate the peace process and start intra-Afghan negotiations” as soon as possible.
The Afghan government hoped talks would start in Doha Sunday but this has not yet happened and no confirmed date has been released.
However, the Taliban issued a statement on Saturday rejecting the Afghan government as legitimate.
In a statement published on their website, the Taliban said it “does not recognize the Kabul administration as a government but views it as western imported structure working for the continuation of American occupation.”
The group also said it would only “accept and have made preparations for negotiations that were described in the historic Doha agreement and those are intra-Afghan negotiations that cover all parties to the Afghan conflict.”
Initially, the Afghan negotiation team was scheduled to leave for Doha on Wednesday. Their departure was then moved to Thursday but the team has still not left Kabul.
No official reasons for the delay have been given nor have dates been released as to when talks will begin.
However, UNAMA tweeted on Sunday that its officials had met with the Taliban’s political commission in Doha on Saturday and that they had “expressed support” for talks to start this coming week.
UNAMA stated that a reduction in violence was also needed in order to improve the atmosphere for negotiations. (ATN)