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Afghan government’s Kabul Process: Do the political elites really want peace?
Global Village Space |
News Analysis |
In order to bring about a negotiated political settlement to the simmering Afghan dispute, Afghanistan led the way and organized a conference under the auspices of a new peace initiative known as the “Kabul Process”.
The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani officially opened the conference in which representatives of 23 countries including Pakistan, USA, Russia, and China participated. This was the first attempt by the Afghan government to garner regional and international support for peace in Afghanistan.
The conference was held days after a massive blast jostled the capital and resulted in the death of 150 people.
All key stakeholders attended the one-day conference in the Afghan Capital. The US was represented by Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser for South and Central Asian Affairs at the NSA Lisa Curtis and Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Laura Miller supported the new Afghan-led initiative. In a statement released by the US Ambassador in Afghanistan, the Afghan government was lauded for starting the Kabul Process.
Read more: Threats to regional peace: The implications of a disrupted Afghanistan
“By gathering in Kabul a week after the attack, we made clear that the terrorists cannot stop the international and regional community from voicing their unequivocal supports for the Kabul process. The U.S. government agrees that the Kabul Process can provide an umbrella platform to take stock of and reinforce other diplomatic initiatives, and allow international stakeholders to discuss and commit to firm action to fight terrorism, seek avenues for peace, and promote regional connectivity,” said Ambassador Llorens on the Kabul Process in a statement.
China too extended wholehearted support for the process. “Peace and stability in Afghanistan are highly relevant to security and development of the neighboring countries and the region. As a close neighbor, China supports Afghanistan in conducting peaceful reconstruction and advancing reconciliation. The Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs Deng Xijun attended the Kabul Process conference yesterday. Along with other members of the international community, China stands ready to continue to play a due constructive role for an early realization of national and political reconciliation as well as peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying in a news briefing on Wednesday
The Taliban are holding about 58% of Afghan territory and are attacking Afghan and foreign forces with impunity.
The conference was held days after a massive blast jostled the capital and resulted in the death of 150 people.
President Ghani delivered the opening address to the participants and said that Afghanistan is a frontline state in the fight against terrorism.
Ghani extended an olive branch to the Taliban and implored them to join the political process. The proposal by the president comes at a time when it is becoming increasingly obvious that the state apparatus has been unable to stop the resurgence and intrusions of the Taliban. Apart from attacks across the country on soft targets, the Taliban continue to breach the defenses of the Afghan Army.
The Taliban are holding about 58% of Afghan territory and are attacking Afghan and foreign forces with impunity. After the deadly attack on 209 Corps headquarters in April which claimed lives of 150 Afghan soldiers, the Taliban carried out two attacks on military installations in Kandahar last month claiming the lives of 25 soldiers.
Read more: Kabul Process: Afghanistan’s refusing to admit the buck stops home
However, the president chose to ascribe everything on Pakistan, a country who was participating in the conference. Pakistan was represented by Additional Secretary Tasnim Aslam and the director general Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia at the Foreign Office.
While ignoring a massive security lapse, the Afghan political and military leadership squarely blamed Pakistan for the attack in the highly-secured diplomatic arena last week.
He said, “Afghanistan is suffering an “undeclared war of aggression from Pakistan”. He questioned Pakistan in his address. “What will it take to convince Pakistan that a stable Afghanistan helps them and helps our region?”
President Ghani expressed his distress and anguish on the motives of Pakistan. “Our problem, our challenge, is that we cannot figure out what it is that Pakistan wants,” he said.
Ties are being severed with Islamabad as Kabul is upping verbal diatribes against it. While ignoring a massive security lapse, the Afghan political and military leadership squarely blamed Pakistan for the attack in the highly-secured diplomatic arena last week.
“Pakistan is the key planner of this incident like in the past, but our security team is investigating the incident and these investigations have not been completed,” Tolo News quoted interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.
Read full article:
Afghan government’s Kabul Process: Do the political elites really want peace?
Global Village Space |
News Analysis |
In order to bring about a negotiated political settlement to the simmering Afghan dispute, Afghanistan led the way and organized a conference under the auspices of a new peace initiative known as the “Kabul Process”.
The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani officially opened the conference in which representatives of 23 countries including Pakistan, USA, Russia, and China participated. This was the first attempt by the Afghan government to garner regional and international support for peace in Afghanistan.
The conference was held days after a massive blast jostled the capital and resulted in the death of 150 people.
All key stakeholders attended the one-day conference in the Afghan Capital. The US was represented by Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Adviser for South and Central Asian Affairs at the NSA Lisa Curtis and Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Laura Miller supported the new Afghan-led initiative. In a statement released by the US Ambassador in Afghanistan, the Afghan government was lauded for starting the Kabul Process.
Read more: Threats to regional peace: The implications of a disrupted Afghanistan
“By gathering in Kabul a week after the attack, we made clear that the terrorists cannot stop the international and regional community from voicing their unequivocal supports for the Kabul process. The U.S. government agrees that the Kabul Process can provide an umbrella platform to take stock of and reinforce other diplomatic initiatives, and allow international stakeholders to discuss and commit to firm action to fight terrorism, seek avenues for peace, and promote regional connectivity,” said Ambassador Llorens on the Kabul Process in a statement.
China too extended wholehearted support for the process. “Peace and stability in Afghanistan are highly relevant to security and development of the neighboring countries and the region. As a close neighbor, China supports Afghanistan in conducting peaceful reconstruction and advancing reconciliation. The Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs Deng Xijun attended the Kabul Process conference yesterday. Along with other members of the international community, China stands ready to continue to play a due constructive role for an early realization of national and political reconciliation as well as peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying in a news briefing on Wednesday
The Taliban are holding about 58% of Afghan territory and are attacking Afghan and foreign forces with impunity.
The conference was held days after a massive blast jostled the capital and resulted in the death of 150 people.
President Ghani delivered the opening address to the participants and said that Afghanistan is a frontline state in the fight against terrorism.
Ghani extended an olive branch to the Taliban and implored them to join the political process. The proposal by the president comes at a time when it is becoming increasingly obvious that the state apparatus has been unable to stop the resurgence and intrusions of the Taliban. Apart from attacks across the country on soft targets, the Taliban continue to breach the defenses of the Afghan Army.
The Taliban are holding about 58% of Afghan territory and are attacking Afghan and foreign forces with impunity. After the deadly attack on 209 Corps headquarters in April which claimed lives of 150 Afghan soldiers, the Taliban carried out two attacks on military installations in Kandahar last month claiming the lives of 25 soldiers.
Read more: Kabul Process: Afghanistan’s refusing to admit the buck stops home
However, the president chose to ascribe everything on Pakistan, a country who was participating in the conference. Pakistan was represented by Additional Secretary Tasnim Aslam and the director general Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia at the Foreign Office.
While ignoring a massive security lapse, the Afghan political and military leadership squarely blamed Pakistan for the attack in the highly-secured diplomatic arena last week.
He said, “Afghanistan is suffering an “undeclared war of aggression from Pakistan”. He questioned Pakistan in his address. “What will it take to convince Pakistan that a stable Afghanistan helps them and helps our region?”
President Ghani expressed his distress and anguish on the motives of Pakistan. “Our problem, our challenge, is that we cannot figure out what it is that Pakistan wants,” he said.
Ties are being severed with Islamabad as Kabul is upping verbal diatribes against it. While ignoring a massive security lapse, the Afghan political and military leadership squarely blamed Pakistan for the attack in the highly-secured diplomatic arena last week.
“Pakistan is the key planner of this incident like in the past, but our security team is investigating the incident and these investigations have not been completed,” Tolo News quoted interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.
Read full article:
Afghan government’s Kabul Process: Do the political elites really want peace?
