Peace talks have begun in Qatar to end a two-decade-long war between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and Pakistan has called for caution against forces that could thwart the peace process.
Addressing the inaugural session of the talks at a local hotel in Doha, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Afghans would have to decide on the political system to be implemented in Afghanistan, according to the International News Agency. Prior to his departure for Doha, the US Secretary of State had expressed hope that this historic opportunity would not be wasted.
Abdullah Abdullah, head of the Afghanistan Peace Council and the Afghan government's negotiating team, said that if both sides worked together for peace in good faith, Afghanistan's problems could be resolved and a humanitarian ceasefire was needed.
Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said he did not want Islam to be sacrificed for personal gain in negotiations and agreements. The Islamic system must be implemented in Afghanistan.
Hosting the talks, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that in view of the current challenges, there is a need for a fruitful dialogue beyond any divisions. The resulting agreement should not be based on the winner and the loser.
Talks between the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators will formally begin on Sunday. Experts say hard work will be needed to make the talks fruitful.
At the special invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi attended the opening ceremony of the inter-Afghan talks via video link. It is a rare opportunity for the Afghan leadership to pave the way for a lasting and lasting peace in Afghanistan through these talks. Pakistan's position has always been that the solution to the Afghan problem is not power. Acknowledging the position.
"We also have to keep an eye on the evil elements who are trying to thwart the Afghan peace process," he said. Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq attended the Doha meeting.
Earlier, a 21-member Afghan government negotiating team led by Masoom Stanekzai left Kabul for Doha. The team includes Abdullah Abdullah and other ministers and a female member, Fauzia Kofi, while the Taliban's 21-member committee is led by Maulvi Abdul Hakim. Other members of the team include 13 members of the Supreme Leader's Council.
Maulvi Abdul Hakim, the head of the Taliban committee, is considered a close associate of Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada and is currently the head of the judiciary in Taliban-held areas. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also attended the talks in Qatar at the behest of President Trump. In addition, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmai Khalilzad also attended the ceremony.
