Turkey may host conference on Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): Amid a renewed diplomatic push, Turkey is expected to host a proposed UN-led conference on peace in Afghanistan later this month, a private TV channel reported on Wednesday.

The conference would take place on March 27, Tolonews said, citing unnamed sources close to the Taliban movement.

Neither the Afghan government nor the US has so far confirmed the event in Turkey, which signaled a day earlier its willingness to be part of efforts for peace in Afghanistan and the region.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik called Afghanistan a very important country for Turkey.

With regard to Kabul-Taliban peace negotiations in Doha, he said: “Turkey is ready to be involved in all kinds of efforts for peace in Afghanistan and the region.”

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the conference in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani, said the TV channel, which claimed seeing the content of the memo.

Blinken urged the Ghani government to step up the peace process, including convening a UN-facilitated conference with international stakeholders.

He wrote the Biden administration was mulling over all options regarding Afghanistan, including the May 1 deadline for a full withdrawal od troops.

Ahead of the Turkey meeting, Russia will host a conference on the Afghan peace process within nine days. Key political figures and Taliban representative have been invited to the consultations.

Diplomats from China, the US and Pakistan are expected to participate in the meeting aimed to speed up the Doha peace talks.

mud

Visits: 138