The US-Taliban peace talks expected to cut the Gordian knot of the Afghan conflict have faced with new challenges. The new push led by US Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad had raised hopes for peace in the country, but recent developments are disappointing. Several meetings between American diplomats and Taliban representatives have been cancelled over recent weeks due to Taliban’s constant refusal to talk to Afghan government saying that it lacks the authority to make key decisions. The Taliban want to reach an agreement with Americans on key issues, including a timeline for withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
Taliban insist that discussions in the initial rounds of talks with the US revolve on reaching an agreement on a scheduled withdrawal of US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan, release of prisoners, and the removal of Taliban leaders from US blacklist, which inhibits their travel. However, those are the issues whose decision-making authority lies with Afghan government rather than the United States. Afghan government holds Taliban prisoners not Americans, and so has the authority to make decision on their release. The American influence over Afghan government cannot be ignored, but the Taliban magnify it. It will not be possible for Americans to push Afghan government to free Taliban prisoners if it is not part of the negotiations. The discussion here is not whether or not Americans have the authority to do so; it is a matter of American policy. It will hurt American standing as much as the dignity and popularity of Afghan government because it is at odds with Washington’s policy stating that only Afghans, which are represented by the government, will decide about the future of their country. Moreover, it is the Afghan government that will have to ask the United Nations Security Council to lift restrictions on Taliban leaders, and when Taliban are not ready to talk to Afghan officials, it seems impractical to expect the government to do so.
Afghan government is representative of Afghan people whether the Taliban accept it or not. The international community has recognized it as a legitimate government and has an envoy at the United Nations. Thus, the Taliban will have to talk to government representatives sooner or later, even in case of their military victory. Therefore, it is better for them to face the realities, and not squander the opportunity available for peaceful settlement of the conflict by rejecting direct negotiations with Afghan government.