KABUL (Pajhwok): Mediated by Qatar, peace talks between Afghan government and Taliban began in Doha on Saturday.
A delegation led by the government’s top peace negotiator and comprised of senior Afghan politicians on Friday left for Doha to hold talks with Taliban leaders there.
Besides Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the delegation included former president Hamid Karzai, Karim Khalili, leader of the Hezb-e-Wahdat Mardam Afghanistan party, Atta Mohammad Noor, chief of the Jamiat-i-Islami splinter group and former Balkh governor, Bator Dostum and Syed Sadat Mansoor Naderi, minister of state for peace affairs, and others.
Faridon Khwazoon, spokesman for HCNR, told Pajhwok Afghan News the delegation was in Doha to promote peace. He hoped it would be able to achieve the objective.
“Peace is possible only through negotiations, The Afghans need peace and are tired of war,” the spokesman for the reconciliation council said.
According to Khwazoon, Qatari special envoy Dr. Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani was also present at the talks.
Before the arrival of the Afghan delegation in Doha, US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad had held separate meetings with Taliban and government negotiating teams.
But Khwazoon did not provide details about Khalilzad’s meetings with the Afghan peace negotiators.
sa/mud
