Kabul: No plans to revive Taliban peace talks

Afghanistan has no plans to revive a peace process aimed at bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table after a four- nation effort earlier this year produced no results, Afghan officials said on Thursday.

The remarks reflect the Kabul administration’s disappointment over what it has described as halfhearted efforts by neighbouring Pakistan to jumpstart the peace process and could also signal a widening divide between the two neighbours.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly accused Islamabad of harbouring Taliban leaders — an accusation that Islamabad denies. Haroon Chakhansuri, Mr Ghani’s spokesman, said on Thursday that the fournation group — Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States — has no plans to meet again anytime soon. The group has met five times since January, in Kabul and in Pakistan. The meetings did not include the Taliban, who have refused to join peace talks.

“There is no set time for another meeting of the group,” Mr Chakhansuri said, warning that Afghanistan continues to

‘ There is no set time for another meeting of the group,’ Afghanistan President Ghani's spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said, warning that Afghanistan continues to suffer from ‘ terrorist groups that operate from and have a support base in Pakistan’

suffer from “terrorist groups that operate from and have a support base in Pakistan.”

Javid Faizal, a spokesman for Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, accused Pakistan of failing to keep promises made at earlier meetings, including ending support to the Taliban, whose leaders are widely believed to be based in Pakistani cities near the border, including Quetta. Pakistan “is still supporting the insurgency, providing medical facilities, training, financing, which shows they have not kept their promises to make the Taliban join the peace process,” he said. “If they haven’t fulfilled even the first stage, it is not possible to move to the second stage.” But Mr Faizal stressed that Kabul’s participation in peace talks at some future date has not been ruled out — especially if the “US and China can guarantee a fruitful outcome.” The remark appeared to be a veiled appeal on Washington and Beijing to pressure Islamabad. Mr Ghani took office in 2014 promising peace and began overtures to Islamabad aimed at ending the war. But after a number of large- scale suicide attacks in Kabul, he cut the dialogue with Pakistan, demanding Islamabad cease support for the Taliban and close affiliate, the Haqqani network.