KABUL SAYS IT EXPECTS TALIBAN CEASEFIRE
▶ Talks between US officials and the Taliban in Abu Dhabi made some progress on building confidence
The Afghan government hopes to reach a ceasefire agreement with the Taliban next year, Kabul’s ambassador to the UAE told The National after peace talks held in Abu Dhabi this week.
Although Afghan officials and the Taliban did not met face to face, US figures and a Taliban talks team discussed confidence-building measures such as an exchange of prisoners and a ceasefire.
The talks, which aimed to start negotiations to end the 17-year war, finished on Wednesday and were “mostly encouraging”, Afghan ambassador Abdul Farid Zikria said.
A second round of talks in Abu Dhabi is scheduled for January, with a third planned for later next year.
“We do expect more tangible results in the next meeting,” Mr Zikria said. “During the next meeting if we could even achieve the exchange of prisoners, that would be a positive outcome and then we can have a ceasefire at the third meeting.”
Although no details have been finalised yet, the possibility of a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire remain on the table, he said.
The UAE took a leading role in encouraging the peace talks, with Saudi Arabia and the US also represented. The Afghan government team was led by chief negotiator Abdul Salam Rahimi, and the Taliban met officials from all these countries and Pakistan.
Taliban and Afghan government representatives did not meet directly but their demands were conveyed by the intermediary countries.
“We expressed to them what we would like to achieve out of this process and basically the same thing with the Taliban,” Mr Zikria said.
On Monday, US officials proposed a six-month ceasefire and an agreement to include Taliban representatives in a future caretaker government.
This was rejected by the Taliban, who believe a ceasefire would damage their cause and help US and Afghan forces.
This week, Taliban officials said their “extensive rounds of meetings” with US officials focused on the withdrawal of American troops.
But the departure of foreign forces would have to form part of a broader solution, Mr Zikria said.
“The withdrawal will be part of the peace package,” he said. “Once there is a ceasefire, once [the Taliban] accept to come talk about peace and come back to Afghanistan from where they are right now, then the issue of foreign troops can be resolved.”
The ambassador said he did not expect a permanent presence of foreign forces to remain in the country. He welcomed the prospect of negotiations replacing fighting.
“Rather than using guns on each other, come talk to us,” he said. “We are very proud people and we’ve always fought invaders so obviously we don’t want other forces to be in Afghanistan, even though we’re thankful of the help they’ve given us so far.
“There will be an end to their presence in Afghanistan but it should come in a total package for peace.”
Pakistan continues to play a significant role in the peace talks. Prime Minister Imran Khan said his country “will be doing everything within its power to further the peace process”.
Mr Zikria welcomed Islamabad’s involvement, saying: “We understand that Pakistan can do a lot and we’re hoping for the new government to use that leverage to hopefully bring peace and prosperity to Afghanistan.”
Kabul remains committed to holding presidential elections next year, despite threats by the Taliban to disrupt the process.
During the next meeting, if we could even achieve the exchange of prisoners, that would be a positive outcome ABDUL FARID ZIKRIA Afghan ambassador