Ghani urges Afghan Taliban to join peace process

Offer comes a day after the militant group rejected negotiations, saying 'they were kept in the dark'

ISLAMABAD: A day after the armed group refused to take part in peace negotiations expected to be held in the first week of March,
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has urged the Afghan Taliban to join the reconciliation process.

“We urge the Taliban to join peace talks and determine the best way to serve Islam and Afghanistan,” President Ghani said while addressing the opening session of the Afghan parliament on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/ashrafghani/status/706447271232204800

On March 5, Afghan Taliban discredited diplomatic efforts by the quadrilateral group, i.e. Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and the United States, saying their political office in Qatar had been kept in dark on the reconciliation process.



A statement from the Taliban’s all powerful ‘Rehbari Shura’ or leadership council reiterated their pre-conditions, which include end to the foreign occupation in Afghanistan, release of prisoners and lifting of UN-imposed international curbs of the top leaders.

“We want peace and no one should doubt our intention. That has been our national approach. We have a strong resolve for peace and we have not given up this policy even though the environment has been sensitive and fighting has continued,” said the Afghan president.



The Taliban refusal has put member countries of the four-way process in an awkward position who had also reached an understanding to act against the so-called irreconcilable elements.

A quadrilateral meeting is expected to be held soon to review the situation arising out after the Taliban refusal, amid concerns in Afghanistan about possible intensification of fighting as weather warms.

Ghani opposed secrecy in the talks, saying Afghanistan should know about the process.

“Peace cannot be achieved through secret efforts and we must keep the people informed”.