Almost two weeks have passed since negotiators from both sides of the Afghan peace negotiations began attempts to reach an agreement about the procedural rules intended to guide the formal talks.
But for the first time, two members of the Taliban’s negotiating team have confirmed the disagreements.
The Taliban insist that without recognizing the US-Taliban deal as a main foundation of the peace process in Afghanistan, the continuation of current talks between both sides of the Afghan peace negotiations will not have meaning.
Mullah Khairullah Kharikhaw, a member of the Taliban peace negotiating team, in answer to a question regarding the inclusion of Hanafi and Jaffari Figh jurisprudence, said that the Taliban respect the rights of all citizens of Afghanistan, but the rights of the Shias of Afghanistan will be discussed during the talks about the Constitution of Afghanistan.
The Taliban demand recognition of the US-Taliban agreement as the ‘mother deal’ underlying the Afghan peace negotiations, and Hanafi Figh as the sole religious legal guidelines for the talks.
Reports say that the republic’s team has suggested alternatives to the Taliban’s demands.
Regarding the US-Taliban agreement, the republic team recommended four options:
First option: The terms of the US-Taliban agreement could be accepted as underlying the talks, however, the terms of the joint declaration between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, NATO and the US should also be accepted as applicable.
Second option: Neither the US-Taliban agreement nor the declarations of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with the US and NATO will be recognized as having any authority, and the negotiations will move forward based on the decisions of the consultative Loya Jirga and the Jirga’s declarations.
Third option: Both sides start talks “based on the national interest of Afghanistan.”
Fourth option: The Quran and Hadith are the main authority for the talks, replacing all others.
“We want to say that the intra-Afghan negotiations should be based on the Doha agreement or part of the agreement which was signed between the Islamic emirate and the United States,” said Abdul Salam Hanafi, a member of the Taliban negotiating team.
What does the republic’s team say?
“The United States also issued a joint declaration with the Afghan government; for us that is also a foundation—but the fundamental foundation for talks is the will of the people,” said Attaullah Ludin, a member of the republic team.
What does the Taliban say?
“We entered the talks based on the agreement that was signed with the Americans—we are sitting with you (republic team) based on that agreement, otherwise, what is the need for the meeting?” said Mullah Khairullah Khairkhaw, a member of Taliban’s negotiating team.
The Taliban insist that talking about the Jaffari Figh at this juncture is not logical, but said that this can be discussed during the talks about the Constitution of the country.
