The meeting between Afghan politicians and Taliban members is likely to take place in mid-May in Doha, Qatar, Taliban sources familiar with the process said on Wednesday.
The meeting will also clarify the agenda of the Samarkand dialogue and will provide a platform for the intra-Afghan talks, sources added.
The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad says that the achievements made in the past one and half decade should be defended, and these gains should be used as a cornerstone and foundation for more progress in the peace process as well for further developments in a post-peace government.
In a video message to a number of Afghan youths who held a discussion in the US embassy in Kabul on Tuesday over the youths’ roles in the peace process and their priorities, Khalilzad said that now the time has come to end the Afghan war and build on the achievements.
“Now it is the time that this war should end. Now it is the time to defend and preserve the gains and use them as the foundation for further progress in peace and after peace in Afghanistan,” Khalilzad said.
According to Khalilzad, although some steps were taken towards the issue of foreign troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and the assurance that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against other nations, he said that solid measures weren’t taken to expedite the process of intra-Afghan talks.
“Required steps for intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations between the Afghans for ending the war in Afghanistan have not been taken,” Khalilzad said.
Although Qatar talks hit stalemate two times in recent weeks, close sources to the insurgency say that the meeting will be back on track once Khalilzad goes to Qatar.
“The government can also participate in this meeting indirectly, the meeting will be held in Doha after 11 of May,” said political analyst Faiz Mohammad Zaland.
Meanwhile, a number of politicians have stressed the need for changes to be brought in the structure of Qatar delegation.
“There is hope for a delegation which is able to talk with the Taliban. It should be a delegation which has no political relation,” said Qazi Ahmad Weqad, member of high peace council.
US Ambassador John Bass in a video message to the Afghan youth urged them to engage in the Afghan peace process and highlight their desired future and wishes.
“Everyone can be part of the national conversation that informs the dialogue on peace, so you can have confidence that the people talking about your rights, your hopes, and your future, know what is important to you,” he said.
Special envoys of the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, Italy, Norway and the European Union met in London on Tuesday-April 23- and discussed the Afghan peace.
The envoys in their meeting said that it depends on the Afghans to shape Afghanistan’s future, but insisted that the Afghan people want peace and that a comprehensive political settlement is the only solution for ending the war.
The meeting attendees said if an agreement is not reached between the Afghans, a possible peace will not be sustained.
