ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that efforts to arrange direct talks between the Afghan government and Taliban were continuing despite insurgents’ refusal to participate in the dialogue.
“Efforts by Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) countries are continuing for facilitating talks between the Afghan government and Taliban. … This facilitation is a shared responsibility of all QCG countries,” FO spokesman Nafees Zakaria said at the weekly media briefing.
Officials from countries participating in QCG — Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China — had at their last meeting held in Kabul on Feb 23 hoped that direct talks between Kabul and Taliban would begin by the first week of March. The proposed timeline could not be met because Taliban rejected the invitation for talks and reiterated their demands for withdrawal of foreign troops, removal of curbs on their leaders and release of Taliban prisoners.
Stressing Pakistan’s support for reconciliation process, Mr Zakaria said: “Pakistan believes in Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process and sincerely wishes to extend all support to assist Afghan government and its people to that end. Pakistan’s whole-hearted participation in the QCG, Heart of Asia and other processes is a clear manifestation of our keen desire to see peace in Afghanistan.
“We will continue to play a positive role with regard to efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added. www.dawn.com/news/1246416/efforts-continue-to-arrange-afghan-govt-taliban-talks-fo
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