Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Monday welcomed Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s announcement that he will hold talks with the government, and said the move was a sign of hope that might get other militants to endorse the negotiations which are now at a standstill.
Amid uncertainty over the resumption of direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, MoFA however expressed hopes that these talks will begin in the near future.
“We warmly welcome the announcement made by Hizb-e-Islami for its willingness to join the peace dialogue with government. We hope the negotiations start in the near future,” said Khairullah Azad, a deputy spokesman for MoFA.
The statements come a few weeks after the Taliban stated it would not hold direct talks with the government unless the group’s preconditions are met, a move that overshadowed recent hopes for peace with the hardline movement that is engaging in an armed struggle against government forces – 15 years after being ousted from power.
Meanwhile, Hekmatyar’s green light for peace dialogue has been widely welcomed by members of the Afghan High Peace Council.
“Taliban and Hekmatyar have shown readiness for peace, therefore we suggest the government responds positively. If these talks are held with Hekmatyar, the Taliban likely will be encouraged as well,” HPC member Qazi Mohammad Amin Weqad said.
This comes days after senior officials from Afghanistan, US, China and Pakistan, at the last Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) meeting, announced that the first round of talks will begin with the Taliban in the first week of March, something later rejected by the Taliban.
When asked about the Taliban’s refusal to join the peace process, MoFA said that their recent refusal cannot be assessed as the group’s resolute stance on peace talks.
“The announcement cannot demonstrate the group’s resolute position, setting up preconditions for talks itself shows their inclination for peace,” MoFA deputy spokesman Khairullah Azad said.
While an exact timeframe and venue for direct talks between Taliban and government are yet to be finalized, MoFA feels the group will eventually endorse the process, adding that Pakistan has committed itself to get the Taliban to hold direct talks with the government to end the ongoing war in the country.http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/24228-mofa-foresees-hekmatyars-green-signal-for-peace-as-a-sign-of-hope
Comments are closed.