‘Agreement on Procedural Rules important step towards lasting peace’

KABUL (Pajhwok): Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday welcomed the agreement on the initial stages of negotiations or rules of procedures reached by the Afghan government and the Taliban, as an important step towards lasting peace in the country.

“This stage is important because it enables the next stage, where negotiations on substantive issues can begin,” Foreign Minister Retno said in a media briefing.

Responding to the agreement reached on Wednesday, Indonesia encouraged the two parties to continue to interact constructively based on goodwill and efforts to find common solutions.

Foreign Minister Retno also underlined the principles of Afghan-owned, Afghan-led (which are owned and led by the people of Afghanistan) and the importance of an inclusive peace process, including the role of scholars and women.

Indonesia hopes that the Afghan government and the Taliban can immediately discuss efforts to end the violence, among others by implementing a humanitarian pause or humanitarian pause which is expected to continue with a permanent ceasefire agreement.

“Apart from ending the suffering of the Afghan people, the humanitarian pause will also enable the handling of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan,” said Retno.

As a member of Quint, namely five countries that have tried to contribute to the Afghanistan peace process from the start, Indonesia continues to be committed to efforts to create sustainable peace by providing capacity building support and support in the development process, including the involvement of the role of Afghan women.

Pr/nh