Gentelman
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2012
- Messages
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KABUL:
Pakistan would need to take further concrete
steps: Senior Afghan official PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan is genuine about
backing the nascent Afghan peace
process and shares the Kabul
governments goal of transforming the
Taliban insurgency into a political
movement, a senior Afghan
government official told Reuters.
This is the vision that they share,
said the official, who is closely
involved in reconciliation efforts
with the insurgent group. He also
said recent face-to-face talks
between the Taliban and Afghan
officials in Paris were enormously
helpful for peace efforts.
The remarks signaled unprecedented
optimism from Afghanistan that
Pakistan long accused of backing
Afghan insurgent groups was now
willing to put its weight behind
reconciliation efforts, which are still
in early stages and are vulnerable to
factionalism.
The senior official cautioned that in
order to sustain that optimism,
Pakistan would need to take further
concrete steps after releasing some
mid-level Afghan Taliban members
from detention, who may be useful
in promoting peace.
The Haqqani network which has
far more experience in guerrilla
warfare than the Afghan Taliban
would be welcomed to the peace
process as long as it met certain
conditions, said the official.
Afghanistan says Pakistan serious about backing peace efforts – The Express Tribune
Pakistan would need to take further concrete
steps: Senior Afghan official PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan is genuine about
backing the nascent Afghan peace
process and shares the Kabul
governments goal of transforming the
Taliban insurgency into a political
movement, a senior Afghan
government official told Reuters.
This is the vision that they share,
said the official, who is closely
involved in reconciliation efforts
with the insurgent group. He also
said recent face-to-face talks
between the Taliban and Afghan
officials in Paris were enormously
helpful for peace efforts.
The remarks signaled unprecedented
optimism from Afghanistan that
Pakistan long accused of backing
Afghan insurgent groups was now
willing to put its weight behind
reconciliation efforts, which are still
in early stages and are vulnerable to
factionalism.
The senior official cautioned that in
order to sustain that optimism,
Pakistan would need to take further
concrete steps after releasing some
mid-level Afghan Taliban members
from detention, who may be useful
in promoting peace.
The Haqqani network which has
far more experience in guerrilla
warfare than the Afghan Taliban
would be welcomed to the peace
process as long as it met certain
conditions, said the official.
Afghanistan says Pakistan serious about backing peace efforts – The Express Tribune