The Taliban delegation demanded the release of prisoners and removal of the group’s leaders from the UN blacklist during the informal talks held in Qatar, it has been reported.
The group also demanded that the Taliban group should be identified as a formal movement before they agree to participate in peace talks.
The Afghan Taliban officials, based in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, told Reuters that the talks yielded little results.
The officials further added that the U.S. officials were part of the process, although they did not specify whether they were directly involved in the talks.
Afghan and U.S. officials demanded that the Taliban declared a ceasefire, laid down arms and started formal peace talks, said the UAE-based official.
“Like our previous meetings, it was a waste of time and resources, as we could not achieve anything from the meeting,” said the UAE-based official.
This comes as the Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected that the group’s delegation participated in informal talks with the Afghan government delegation in Qatar, calling the report by the Guardian as baseless.
Mujahid further added that the group remains firm on its conditions to participate in peace talks, which included the exit of all foreign troops from the country and establishment of a strict Islamic system.http://www.khaama.com/taliban-demanded-prisoners-release-blacklist-removal-in-qatar-talks-02109
Secret’ talks never took place: Taliban: AFP report in Daily Times, 20-Oct-16
KABUL: The Taliban on Wednesday rejected reports of secret meetings with the Afghan government in a bid to resume long-stalled peace negotiations, insisting that their hard-line policy remains unchanged.
Afghan officials on Tuesday said they held two meetings since September in Doha, where the Taliban maintain a political office, after the news was first reported by Britain’s The Guardian newspaper. But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement rejected any reports of talks or meetings. Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, Afghanistan’s intelligence chief, and National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar had attended one of the Qatar meetings, local Tolo television said, citing a presidential palace source.
“The representatives of the Islamic Emirate have not met with Stanekzai or any other officials. Our stance about the negotiations has not changed. Our policy is very clear on that,” Mujahid said, referring to the Taliban’s official title.
The Taliban have long insisted on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a precondition for peace talks with the government. The Guardian said the talks were attended by Mullah Abdull Manan Akhund, brother of Taliban founder and long-time leader Mullah Omar who died in 2013. A senior American diplomat was also present in the Qatar meetings, the newspaper said, citing a Taliban official.
Pakistan hosted several rounds of international talks over the last year to jumpstart peace negotiations, which yielded little progress.
The dialogue process ground to a halt when the US killed former Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike in May.
The insurgency has shown stubborn resilience under new Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, attacking northern Kunduz city for a second time and threatening the capital of the southern opium-rich province of Helmand. http://dailytimes.com.pk/world/20-Oct-16/-secret-talks-never-took-place-taliban
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