The chief negotiator of the Afghan Republic team, Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, on Friday said the peace efforts should be expedited but cautioned that haste in the process should not put the people’s interests in jeopardy.
Stanekzai stressed that the efforts for a political settlement in the country are accompanied by concerns that need to be addressed by delegates from both sides.
He made the remarks at an online conversation with civil society activists from 34 provinces of the country amidst a three-week pause in meetings between the negotiators from both sides of the talks who were expected to finalize the agenda of the negotiations.
“The issue of peace is not only belonged to the negotiating team, but it belongs to all Afghans, especially to various layers of Afghanistan’s society as each of them have their expectations (from the process),” Stanekzai told the event titled “achievements, challenges and needs of the intra-Afghan negotiations” hosted by a women’s group for peace.
Stanekzai said the basis of the national institutions should be strengthened in the peace process.
The chief negotiator said that the questions raised by those who attended the event showed that the people of Afghanistan are treating the peace process with responsibility and are paying attention to all dimensions of the process.
He added that there is a need that both sides involved in the peace process should be responsive to Afghans regarding their concerns about the efforts for a political settlement.
This comes a day after the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday met with US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and discussed the way forward in Afghanistan.
“Great meeting with Ambassador Khalilzad to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan: continuing to protect the US against the threat of terrorism, achieving a just and durable political settlement there, and cementing a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” Blinken said in a tweet.
Khalilzad, who negotiated with the Taliban for 18 months to reach an agreement, has remained on his post under the Biden administration. Analysts say that keeping the US envoy in place demonstrates the Biden team’s initial commitment to maintaining adherence to the US-Taliban peace agreement until the new team reviews it in detail.
But a sharp increase in violence amidst the efforts for peace has created concerns among the people who say the trend must stop and the efforts for peace should be expedited.
Analysts said that progress in the peace efforts is tied to the US’s will as well as the efforts by the negotiating teams.
“It will not be wise to have fighting and talks at the same time,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban commander.
“There won’t be any progress if the US forces withdrawal does not happen and if the new US administration does not accept the (US-Taliban) agreement,” said Sarwar Niazi, an analyst.
The Taliban recently made some trips to countries in the region to seek their support to the implementation of their deal with the United States that was signed last year in February.
Referring to the delay in the talks, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, in a statement called on the Taliban to come back to the negotiating table and avoid “making excuses.”
“The Taliban’s delegation has caused delay to the start of the negotiations by making illogical excuses and are busy on trips and marginal discussions instead of focusing on main issues and on ending the violence,” Abdullah said.
“Afghans will lose their hope in peace if the situation prevails,” said Khan Agha Rezaee, an MP from Kabul. “The Taliban has not shown any will for peace.”
This comes days after officials in Washington said that President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to review the US-Taliban peace agreement signed on February 29 in Doha.
On Thursday, Biden delivered his free foreign policy speech without mentioning Afghanistan.
Analysts said that it indicates that the White House so far has not made any decision about the US-Taliban’s agreement.
