Taliban: govt officials to attend Qatar conference

KABUL said on Monday Afghan government officials could join next week’s conference in Qatar to share their personal views on promoting the peace process.

The intra-Afghan conference is planned for mid-April in Doha. The militant group, in a statement, in a breakthrough, indicated their willingness to meet government officials.

In the statement, the insurgent outfit clarified:

1: At the conference, participants will be expressing their views and policies and outlining their stance. The conference is not formal negotiations or meeting;

2: No one will partake in the conference as a representative of the current National Unity Government (NUG). Just like the Moscow Conference, any individual who is part of the NUG and is listed as a participant will only participate in personal capacity;

3: As the event seeks to achieve peace in Afghanistan, any participant disliked by anyone is introduced from their own side and is associated with them. They have not been picked by the group.

pk/mud