Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and her Afghan counterpart, Dr Zalmai Rasoul will travel to Saudia Arabia to discuss the kingdom’s possible role in the Afghan reconciliation process.
This comes on the heels of recent interactions of Saudi officials with representatives of the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami party of former Afghan premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
Previously, Saudi Arabia was unwilling to get involved in the Afghan peace process unless the Taliban shunned al Qaeda. But now the kingdom has agreed in principle to act on a joint request from the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Together the Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers will travel to Saudi Arabia, possibly this year for trilateral talks,” an Afghan diplomat told The Express Tribune in Islamabad. The Afghan foreign minister will soon visit Islamabad for talks with Khar, and the plan to visit Riyadh will top their agenda.
“Saudi officials will brief Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers about their talks with the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami representatives,” said the diplomat, who requested anonymity.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai had reached an understanding to formally seek the Saudi help in the peace process during his talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad in February, an official, who had been part of the Afghan delegation, had earlier told The Express Tribune.
Diplomatic sources also say the US had sought the Saudi help after the Taliban pulled out of talks with the US in Qatar in March this year.
Some Afghan analysts, however, are sceptical about how successful the Saudi initiative could be, and say that the Taliban are unlikely to opt for another venue for talks as it will weaken the Qatar-centric dialogue.
Waheed Mujda, an Afghan analyst, told The Express Tribune via telephone from Kabul that the Taliban were interested in opening their office in Qatar to gain official and global recognition.
“(So) they will not be interested in the Saudi initiative and will never weaken the Qatar process,” Mujda concluded.
On the other hand, a former senior Taliban leader, Agha Jan Mutasim, had a different view, saying that he was confident that Saudi Arabia could play an important role in view of the “kingdom’s spiritual recognition”.
Mutasim, who once headed the Taliban’s powerful political commission, told The Express Tribune that the Saudis’ role could yield positive results.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (5)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
*
at last Pakistan accept the vital role of hikmatyar who defeat the russian,and after defeat ziaulhaq take thing in his hands and keep hikmatyar away from govt because he dont want to give benefit hikmatyar,but hiktmatyar give statement that he is Mujahid he dont want to take any benefit or take Govt post ,i m mujahid and i will go to Kashmir and will fight against India,after that hikmatyar was not involved in the civil war.Recently hikmatyar said in a statement that US army can not depart from Afghanistan,if they will talk to us and we will give them passage then they will go out ,and know hikmatyar prove himself .zia ul haq was responsible to keep away hikmatyar because he played double game with islamists in pakistan especially in karachi.after russian depart zia give birth to MQM through his agencies to keep away religious parties ,know nation paying consequence,
"the Taliban were interested in opening their office in Qatar to gain official and global recognition" Taliban brand name is well recognized all over the world with bad image. This brand name is toxic and anyone supporting it or propping it is getting negative image too. Peoples memory is still fresh of destruction of Bamian Buddha, flogging of women and identification of minority by wearing certain sign on their clothing. It is clear that Pakistan is once again bringing KSA to recognize Taliban as it was one of three countries out of 200 countries in the world who recognized Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Same regime brought in 9/11 and invited American invasion. Those who do not learn from the history are bound to repeat it. Get ready for repeat of the same by bribing Afghanistan with petro dollars and custodian of Islam.
All Muslim nations must act now for a peace deal as the situation may be worst after the 2014 NATO's withdrawal. Saudis could play a role, but the OIC also play its role.
Everyone should support peace process. Afghans need peace. They are fed up with war.
Saudi must also pay the price for supporting fake Jehad against the Russians and then Taliban. Their hidden role must be exposed.