Regional consensus must for Afghan peace

The form and ambiguity of peace talks with the Taliban have triggered concerns in the midst of hopes reinvigorated by the US-initiated efforts aimed at bringing the decades-long, bloody Afghan conflict to a political end. American diplomats and Taliban representatives held four rounds of peace talks, but they are yet to pave the way for direct Afghan government-Taliban engagement. Kabul’s stance on peace is indicative of being out of line with that of Washington. Moreover, a Taliban delegation was set to meet Pakistani officials in Islamabad today, and was also likely to meet Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman there, but the meeting was reportedly cancelled due to opposition from their supreme leader.
This comes as Afghan government had voiced concerns in a letter to the UN Security Council about the Taliban visit. According to the letter, Afghanistan has stressed that it had not been consulted on the visit, and that the planned meeting between a Taliban delegation, whose nine members are on the UNSC’s Sanction List, and Pakistani officials was tantamount to the official recognition and legitimization of a militant group that poses a serious threat to Afghanistan’s security and stability.
Taking into account the complexity and multi-dimensionality of the war involving many regional and global powers, consensus is a key prerequisite for peace in Afghanistan, without which peace talks cannot come to fruition, as almost all sides are able to sabotage the efforts of one another. Neither side, including the United States, should use peace talks for regional rivalry and expansion of their influence. Right now, Afghanistan is burning in the fire enflamed by rivalries among regional states and global powers.
Irrespective of where and under what conditions, peace talks must also focus on ending the ongoing multilateral hostilities in Afghanistan. If enough attention is not paid to this point and Afghanistan’s impartiality is not truly guaranteed, the United States, Taliban and Pakistan may reach a peace deal, but it will never take Afghanistan to stability and prosperity. Regional consensus is a must for Afghan peace, and therefore the parties to the conflict should not ignore it as the top priority.