Taliban reject direct talks with Afghan government

[American Pakistani]

https://www.nst.com.my/world/2019/07/508035/taliban-reject-direct-talks-afghan-government


3 minute read
Taliban reject direct talks with Afghan government

Children from Afghanistan and Turkeminstan dress in national attire attend a ceremony where Turkmenistan government donated food and other relief goods to Afghans, at Afghanistan-Torqundi border of Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border, in Herat, Afghanistan, 25 July 2019. — EPA
By Reuters - July 28, 2019 @ 4:55pm


KABUL: The Taliban said on Sunday they will not hold direct talks with Afghan government and rejected a statement from a senior minister about plans to hold the such as meeting within the next two weeks, a senior Taliban official said.

“Intra-Afghan talks will start only after a foreign force withdrawal is announced,” said Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Qatar.

On Saturday, Abdul Salam Rahimi, the state minister for peace affairs, said the government would be represented by a 15-member delegation during direct talks with the Taliban “in the coming two weeks.” — Reuters

 

[American Pakistani]

Taliban Says 'No Agreement' On Direct Talks With Afghan Government
July 28, 2019 09:19 GMTUPDATED July 28, 2019 13:46 GMT

• By RFE/RL

The Taliban's political office in Doha (file photo).

The Taliban has rejected a statement from a senior Afghan minister who said he hoped direct talks would begin within two weeks between the militant group and the government in Kabul.

Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban's political office in Qatar, said on July 28 that negotiations with the government will only come after an agreement has been reach with the United States on the departure of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

Another Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said there had been “no agreement” on a meeting between government officials and the insurgent group.

Once the insurgents reach a deal with the United States, the Taliban would be open to intra-Afghan talks, Mujahid said, insisting that any government representatives would have to participate in a personal capacity.

The comments come the day after Abdul Salam Rahimi, Afghanistan's state minister for peace affairs, told reporters that a 15-member Afghan government delegation was "preparing for direct talks" with the Taliban.

"We are working with all sides and hope that in the next two weeks the first meeting will take place in a European country," Rahimi said, as U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was continuing a visit to Kabul.

Khalilzad is expected to return to Qatar during the next week for an eighth round of direct talks between U.S. officials and Taliban negotiators to end the nearly 18-year war in Afghanistan.

Two Taliban officials told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity on July 28 that the group’s negotiating team will include five more officials, rising to 19 the number of Taliban negotiators.

Both Washington and the Taliban have said recently that they were making progress toward reaching a peace deal, which would require direct talks between the Taliban and representatives of Afghanistan's government.

The Taliban so far has refused to speak to President Ashraf Ghani's government in any official capacity, saying it is illegitimate and is a puppet of foreign states.

On July 28, Ghani marked the official start of Afghanistan’s presidential election campaign by insisting that "peace is coming" and that negotiations with the Taliban “will take place."

Ghani was speaking at a rally in Kabul marking the start of two months of campaigning, a day after he dissolved Afghanistan’s High Peace Council. The body had been appointed by the president and previously had been meant to lead Kabul's peace efforts with the Taliban.

Ghani, who is facing 17 other candidates, hopes to score a second term at the delayed presidential election, now set for September 28.

• With reporting by Reuters, AP, and RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan

• https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-say...ct-talks-with-afghan-government/30079514.html

The Taliban has rejected a statement from a senior Afghan minister who said he hoped direct talks would begin within two weeks between the militant group and the government in Kabul.

political office in Qatar,

"We are working with all sides and hope that in the next two weeks the first meeting will take place in a European country," Rahimi said, as U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was continuing a visit to Kabul.

It seems like our western neighbors are learning from our eastern neighbor on how to spread fake news.

Pakistan should push for these talks to be held in Pakistan. What has Qatar or some European country has to do with Afghanistan?

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

Because the Mayor of Kaboooooool does not peace. It does not suit his ambition to stay Prez of Afghanitan & have free elections. Plus with US gone, he has no one pay the bills. That is a fact. He will do everything to escalate situation on western borders. H.M was on M Malik's show yesterday and confirmed how Afghan Army slips in TTP by the border. The fence has certainly restricted them now but they just attack from across now.
before USSR took over teh country, they were doing similar things to Pakistan since the 50s. No one is stupid to not know the facts. We did not start this these londay baaz charsis did.
Lastly, every fallen soldier of ours will be avenged for.

 

[airmarshal]

Pakistan should push for these talks to be held in Pakistan. What has Qatar or some European country has to do with Afghanistan?

Not at all! Pakistan is perceived to be backing Taliban. We must show ourselves neutral in Afghan conflict.

 

[American Pakistani]

Not at all! Pakistan is perceived to be backing Taliban. We must show ourselves neutral in Afghan conflict.

They will perceive it regardless.

Would rather have it in Pakistan to put forward the Pakistani pov and conditions.