October 18, 2019
President Trump’s abrupt cancellation of the peace deal ahead of US-Taliban’s scheduled plan to sign peace agreement in Qatar on September 13 have dampened the hopes for peace in the near future in Afghanistan, according to Afghan Taliban’s political spokesman, Suhail Shaheen.
The situation has only loomed in more uncertainty and paved the way for the conflict to perpetuate, putting regional stability at stake once again. US is tight lipped so far about the probable resumption of peace talks unless it is on Trump’s terms.
In contrast, amid the peace-talks lull, Taliban got engaged in regional diplomacy to take regional countries on board to make a strong case for political settlement in Afghanistan; for which resumption of US-Taliban talks is the only pragmatic option. This can then be followed by the intra-Afghan dialogue. Regional countries also oppose military solution to Afghan conflict which has proven to be futile so far, apparently putting Taliban in a better bargaining position.
Amid uncertainty about the peace process, Suhail Shaheen stands firm on his commitment with the peace deal if the US opts to resume it. This only leaves us with what is going on within the American establishment about the future of Afghanistan. Probably, it is the consolidation of conflict and staying in Afghanistan that suits the US in the wake of Beijing and Moscow flexing their muscles in the regional affairs and confronting US in global arena, more than ever.
Shaheen told Daily Times from Doha, the capital of Qatar, that Taliban would also have declared a ceasefire against the US and its NATO allies with the signing of the deal that would have been a major step towards solution to the Afghan problem.
Trump last month halted peace talks with the Taliban aimed at striking a deal allowing US and other foreign troops to withdraw in exchange for Taliban security guarantees, following the death of a US soldier and 11 others in a Taliban bomb attack in Kabul.
“We are ready to start the peace process from where Trump had stopped it. We will honour whatever had been agreed upon in the peace deal,” the Taliban spokesman said.
He also said the US and Taliban had also agreed to start formal intra-Afghan dialogue on Sept 23 that would initiate discussions on the ceasefire with the Afghan forces and the establishment of Islamic government in Afghanistan.
Shaheen said there is no decision to restart talks but said there are indications the process could begin. He did not elaborate but said Taliban are holding internal discussions. He said when draft of the agreement was handed over to Qatari officials in late August, it was agreed that they would announce within 48 hours a date for its signing in a week time. “But Trump’s abrupt announcement blocked signing of the peace agreement,” the spokesman said.
He said foreign ministers from 23 countries were to be invited to the signing ceremony besides representatives from the UN, EU and OIC. “What the US has achieved since Trump called off the peace talks? If the Americans have not achieved anything until now, they cannot do it in future,” Shaheen argued. “We are ready for resumption of the peace process from whether Trump has stopped it and it is up to the US to decide whether or not they return to the table,” he maintained. “We have a strong foundation to end the Afghan conflict and the US should not have any excuse as continuation of war has no logic,” Shaheen said.
Meanwhile Russia is planned to hold a trilateral meeting of China, Russia and the United States in Moscow later this month to discuss Afghan peace process, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov has said in reported comments. Pakistan is likely to be invited in the trilateral meeting of the special envoys on Afghanistan.
The last trilateral was held in Beijing in July. Pakistan had attended the meeting on special invitation. Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan on his recent visit to US, also reiterated the need for political settlement in Afghanistan. He urged President Trump to consider resumption of the peace process. Now it can only be hoped that better sense would prevail in the coming days and Afghanistan will soon taste peace, resonating a promising future for the region as the driver of global economic engine.
