Efforts to find a political settlement for Afghan conflict have gathered fresh momentum following a meeting between Taliban representatives and American diplomats held in Qatar. As part of the renewed push, the US State Department has appointed Afghan-born Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad as US special envoy for Kabul. Khalilzad has reportedly sent positive messages to the Taliban ahead of his official meeting with the group’s representatives. According to some knowledgeable Taliban sources, the messages were about the release of Taliban prisoners and some other issues related to peace process. The Taliban are said to be willing to discuss a potential prisoner swap deal with the United States during the first phase of peace talks.
The direct Taliban-US talks is a major step towards achieving peace in Afghanistan, since the Taliban have long been demanding to talk to the US as the main side in the Afghan conflict instead of Afghan government, which, according to them, lacks the necessary authority. That will satisfy one of the key demands the Taliban have long asked for, which can also prove effective in building trust. Discussions during the initial phase of peace talks should revolve around trust-building measures.
The initial round of direct talks between the Taliban and US officials should pave the way for intra-Afghan dialogue. If Afghan government, as a key side in the conflict, is left out of the negotiations, it may feel marginalized, thereby resorting to an untoward reaction. In that case, the peace parleys will probably get nowhere. In addition to the trust-building measures to be taken by the Taliban and Americans during the initial rounds of talks, bringing Afghan government on board also needs to be a top priority. Regardless of the fact whether or not the Afghan government can represent the people, it, as a side leading the country, should not be left out of the peace process for long.
Now that all parties to the conflict have come around to the conclusion that the Afghan war has no military solution, it will be better to take into account the demands of the opposing side, and accept those considered to be posing no threat to the future of Afghanistan, in order to reach a negotiated settlement. Since American generals have grown weary of convincing US President Donald Trump about the continuation of American military presence in Afghanistan, the chances of success of such a roadmap are very high now. The Taliban’s failure to hold major cities might have also sent a message to the group’s leadership that they won’t be able to take over the entire country if American presence continues and there are a few thousand US troops and air support in the country.
A new glimmer of hopes for peace
