Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States will discuss roadmap details and participants’ responsibilities for the Afghan peace process when they meet in Kabul on Monday for a second round of four-nation talks, according to an Afghan official and a political analyst.
Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, who is leading the Afghan delegation at the talks, said the second round meeting will emphasize the details of a peace roadmap shared at the first round meeting in Pakistani capital Islamabad on Jan. 11.
“This roadmap consists of three elements or three phases. The first phase specifically is the pre-negotiation period. Second component is the peace talks, direct negotiation. And the third phase is the implementation plan,” said Karzai.
The first round meeting reached two consensuses: that political negotiation is the best way to achieve long-lasting peace in Afghanistan, and that the four nations should coordinate closely to facilitate reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Political analyst Enayat Nasir said he expects the second round meeting to focus on how to restart peace talks.
“It will clarify what are the responsibility of four groups, or four countries, which come together, what is the responsibility of Afghanistan, what is the responsibility of Pakistan. So these will be mainly the most important agenda of this discussion,” said Nasir.
After the death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, the Taliban split into several parts which hold different opinions on peace talks. Nasir said choosing an appropriate Taliban negotiator is important to restart the Afghanistan peace process, and contingency plans should be made to handle those Taliban members who reject peace talks.
“Those groups which reject peace process, definitely they will more interested to join ISIS (Islamic State),” said Nasir, adding that it is important for the participants at the talks to determine how to treat these groups in order to prevent them from joining ISIS. (CCTV/Reuters)
