Abdullah stresses peace talks within Afghanistan

KABUL within the country, on Thursday said it would not accept any secret deal.

Addressing a gathering of students of Kabul universities, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah criticised the government for having no specific policy for bringing peace and stability to the country.  

The former foreign minister believed the Karzai administration’s weakness had resulted in continuation of war. The government’s talk of bringing peace to the country made little sense, he remarked.

Abdullah added: “Afghans see no clarity in policies of the government and foreign powers. The US vice-president has formally announced that Taliban are not their enemies. What is the need for continuing war when they have no enemy?”

The opposition leader asked the international community to facilitate parleys with the rebel group and ensure security for the negotiators within Afghanistan. He opposed the plan for opening Taliban’s liaison office in Qatar.

He believed any reconciliation efforts in abroad would keep Afghans far from the main points of the issue.

He called on the Taliban to publicise their willingness if they really wanted to sit across the negotiating table with the government. Negotiators should clarify which groups they represented, he added.

Karzai’s key rival alleged the peace dialogue had degenerated into a game, with each side using the process to strengthen its bargaining position.

With public aspirations for peace yet to materialise, the ex-minister claimed the insurgents had intensified their efforts at ousting the incumbent government.

Participants of the gathering issued a seven-article resolution, stressing transparency in the peace effort and involvement of civil society organisations in the process.   

mm/mud

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