Kabul (BNA) After more than a month of delays, a sharp rise in violence and continued discussions on the future of foreign troops in Afghanistan the stalled peace talks between the Afghan Republic’s team and the Taliban resumed on Monday in Qatar.
The Taliban’s spokesman in Doha, Mohammad Naeem tweeted late Monday night that the two teams had met during the course of the day.
He gave few details except to say the atmosphere was “cordial” and that there was a commitment that the talks should continue and that the first step would be setting the agenda.
“This evening, a meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere between the leaders and some members of the two delegations for the inter-Afghan talks. The meeting emphasized the need to continue negotiations. And assigned groups to set the agenda, to continue their meetings on the subject,” his tweet read.
This comes after talks stalled abruptly in January after a three week recess – which by last week had commentators questioning whether the talk’s process had all but disintegrated.
Meanwhile, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, on Sunday said the Taliban violence remains high and that the Afghan people are bearing the sacrifice. He called on the group to return to the negotiating table and resume talks.
Abdullah, who has been attending meetings with representatives from various layers of society in recent weeks, spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and discussed the US’s review of its strategy in Afghanistan.
The US Department of State said in a statement that Blinken and Abdullah discussed the United States’ review of its strategy in Afghanistan. “The Secretary thanked Abdullah for his vital work in support of the Afghanistan peace process, and he expressed America’s resolve to support a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Afghanistan,” it said.
Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani in a telephone conversation with families of fallen soldiers assured them that he will not allow the establishment of an interim government as part of peace efforts.
