Pompeo (left) and Baradar (right)
Ayaz Gul
VOA News
September 12, 2020
ISLAMABAD – The United States pressed Afghanistan’s warring factions Saturday to approach their first-ever direct peace talks with an intent to strike a power-sharing deal that would accommodate “competing views” and permanently end decades of bloodshed in the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the remarks at a special ceremony in Doha, Qatar, marking the start of the U.S.-brokered dialogue, known as intra-Afghan negotiations, between delegates of the Taliban insurgency and the government of Afghanistan.
“Today is a truly momentous occasion. Afghans have at long last chosen to sit together and chart a new course for your country. This is a moment to dare to hope,” Pompeo said.
He cautioned that the intra-Afghan talks will “undoubtedly encounter many challenges” because of decades of divisions, but the two sides will need to “be patient” to seize the opportunity of writing the next chapter in the history of Afghanistan.
“We hope this chapter is one of reconciliation and progress, not another chronicle of tears and bloodshed. We urge you to make decisions that move you away from violence and corruption and toward peace and prosperity,” stressed Pompeo.
The chief American diplomat noted that a landmark agreement the U.S. sealed with the Taliban on February 29, set the stage for Saturday’s start of negotiations between Afghanistan’s warring parties.
While saying it was solely for Afghans to determine a future political system to govern their country, Pompeo added that he hoped the outcome of the talks would respect rights of all Afghans and protect social progress achieved over the past nearly two decades.
“As you make your decisions, you should keep in mind that your choices and conduct will affect both the size and scope of future U.S. assistance. Our hope is that you reach a sustainable peace, and our goal is an enduring partnership,” he said.
Abdullah Abdullah, the leader of the Afghan delegation, told the inaugural ceremony that his team has come to Doha with “goodwill and good intention” to negotiate with the Taliban an end to the 40 years of bloodshed.
“We have come to achieve a dignified and lasting peace. There is no winner through war or military means, but there will be no loser if this crisis is resolved through submission to the will of the people,” said Abdullah, the chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban’s delegation, pledged in his speech that the insurgent negotiating team would enter the intra-Afghan dialogue “with full sincerity” and stressed the need for both sides to move forward with patience.
“We assure the world that we will strive to our utmost ability in order for the intra-Afghan negotiations to attain a successful outcome. We seek an Afghanistan that is independent, sovereign, united, developed and free – an Afghanistan with an Islamic system in which all people of the nation can participate without discrimination,” Baradar said.
Pompeo later held separate meetings with Baradar and Abdullah, where their negotiating teams also were present.
The historic Afghan talks stemmed from the U.S.-Taliban deal that seeks to have all American and coalition forces leave the country by mid-2021 in return for insurgent counterterrorism assurances and pledges to seek a political settlement between Afghan rivals.
The U.S. has cut its military presence in Afghanistan to 8,600 from roughly 13,000 personnel since signing the pact with the Taliban.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration intends to further reduce the size of U.S. forces to about 4,500 by November.
Analysts anticipate the intra-Afghan negotiations will be a long, drawn-out process and experience many controversies as they proceed.
VOA’s Cindy Saine contributed to this report.
Related
It is very interesting
to
know about the true background
of
Mr Ayaz Gul; the writer of this article.
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I could not
find any other any Infos
on
this person who supposedly
wrote the above
article.
.
I don’t think; he is from
Afghanistan or a Muslim.
*
I wonder if the talks are
being
heavily manipulated by
foreigners who don’t really give
a
damn about the plight
of
the people
of
Afghanistan- their primary concerns are
to
keep their own prestigious positions
at
the
international levels.
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Those
coward
international war criminals
must be closely watch for their
dirty politics and low class behaviors !
*
The
rats
exhibit
bizarre and nasty behavior
when cornered- you could never trust
those coward invaders and their stooges.
*
*Yes; they are all over
to
derail and sabotage
civilized existence
in
Afghanistan- they certainly may even have their little enslaved agents mix
in
as members,
in both
of
the
two delegations.
*
*It is not over yet- just another
survival game
for
the
Anglo/US savage invaders
and their
“sick-greedy”
camp-followers !
*