Following the Moscow conference on Afghan peace, separate meetings were held behind closed doors between the delegations representing the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban as well as Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Taliban.
The Republic delegation and the Taliban discussed the prospects for a negotiated settlement to the prevailing conflict in the country.
Reports say that in the meeting, the Taliban has once again insisted that a permanent ceasefire was applicable once an agreement is reached between the Afghan parties on the establishment of an Islamic government in the country acceptable to all Afghans.
But, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation said the stance of “Troika” member countries on the future political system in Afghanistan reflects the will of the Afghan people.
“We welcome this statement because its main focus is on achieving peace and the demands of the Afghan people and the concerns that exist among the Afghan people,” Abdullah said.
Taliban negotiators who appeared at a press conference in Moscow stressed the need for the establishment of an Islamic government as a result of the peace negotiations.
“We want a new Islamic government to get shape so that the Muslim nation of Afghanistan can get its benefit,” Taliban negotiator Mullah Khairullah Khairkhaw said.
“This issue can be discussed in the next stage. It is up to Afghans to decide what type of political system they want, but it is a resolute fact that the future system should be an Islamic government. There is no doubt in it,” Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said.
Meanwhile, Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who held a separate meeting with the Taliban said there is a need for an inclusive government to be formed.
This comes after a joint statement was issued following the conference in Moscow on Thursday in which the four primary representative countries–Russia, China, the US and Pakistan–stated that they would not support the return of the Islamic emirate system in Afghanistan.
The statement also recognized the will of the Afghan people for peace, called for a reduction in violence from all sides and for the Taliban to not launch a Spring offensive, and reiterated calls for a negotiated settlement for the conflict.
“The important point is that both sides understand and are ready to agree on the restoring peace. We are now working with small groups in Afghanistan to reach out to the warring sides reach to a better understanding,” said Russian special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday welcomed the statement by Moscow conference and called it a step forward towards beginning serious talks for achieving peace based on Afghans’ demand.
The ministry said it supports the emphasis of the statement on a negotiated political settlement in Afghanistan.
The ministry added that the Islamic Republic is the only inclusive and acceptable structure that can ensure political participation, pluralism, citizenship equality and preserving of stability in a diverse society like Afghanistan.
US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in a tweet on Friday said that during the Moscow conference, they “encouraged delegations representing the Islamic Republic and the Taliban, which included many prominent leaders, to prepare for and attend a leaders’ meeting in Istanbul in early April.”
