The subsequent spherical of conferences is tentatively deliberate for August 15 and sixteen in Doha, the capital of Qatar, in accordance to sources shut to the members. Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif praised the talks as a breakthrough, though he was not in the country at the time.
Advertisement
But it was far from clear whether the budding peace process could end an escalating conflict that kills hundreds of Afghans every month.
After Afghanistan’s main peace envoy met with ex- Taliban officials in western China in May, the insurgents sounded a more strident note, deriding reports of the meeting as part of a disinformation campaign by Kabul.
It comes amid a wave of violence in Afghanistan, much of it blamed on the Taliban.
On Tuesday, a suicide auto bomber slammed into a vehicle carrying foreign forces in eastern Kabul, wounding at least two people. Yousufzai said his understanding was that three Pakistan-based Taliban cadres took part.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry official said the meetings would take place at a secret location, and that no public statements would be issued unless there were significant developments.
“When they sat down for the sehri meal, it was as if they were celebrating Eid”.
Both sides even made a decision to meet once again after the ending of the holy month of Ramadan.
“Before this, Pakistan has been accused of double dealing, but this time there can be no doubt about our sincerity”, he added.
Ex- Afghan President Hamid Karzai established the High Peace Council in an attempt to negotiate peace with the Taliban.
Since coming to power past year Ghani has courted the Pakistanis, expending substantial domestic political capital in the process, to try to get Islamabad to persuade the Taliban to the negotiating table. “A delegation from the High Peace Council of Afghanistan has traveled to Pakistan for negotiations with the Taliban”, read a statement posted on Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s official Twitter account.
“This is an important step in advancing prospects for a credible peace”, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. Each side would be honest and look to build trust, it said.
Advertisement
The participants were duly mandated by their respective leadership and expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region, and agreed to continue talks to create an environment conducive to the peace and reconciliation process. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid angering colleagues, amid concern that the Taliban would be less forthcoming if word of the talks leaked out.
