Published 16:01 IST, September 12th 2020
Mike Pompeo, Taliban, Afghan govt representatives meet in Qatar for talks
Mike Pompeo met with a team of Afghan government negotiators at the opening ceremony of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Qatar on September 12.
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The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with a team of Afghan government negotiators at the opening ceremony of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Qatar on September 12. The talks that were earlier scheduled to begin in March, were pushed repeatedly over hosts of disagreements between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban. Secretary Pompeo at the opening session of the talks said, "our hope is that you will reach sustainable peace and our goal is an enduring partnership with Afghanistan".
'Historic negotiations'
"I would urge each of you to engage the representatives of all Afghan communities, including women, ethnic and religious minorities, and the victims of your country’s long war. These historic negotiations should produce a political arrangement that accommodates competing views and rejects the use of violence to achieve political aims," Pompeo was quoted as saying by the State Department website on Saturday.
What an honor to join today's Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Doha. It is remarkable - and a testament to the human spirit - that the pain and patterns of destruction are no match for the enduring hopes for peace held by the Afghan people, and their many friends. pic.twitter.com/kgLJTQDIDU
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 12, 2020
Nader Nadery, one of the representatives of the Afghan government said that the main objective of the talks is to achieve "peace" and "lasting stability" and to strengthen the country's democracy. "By achieving these goals, Afghanistan will have a bright future and opportunities for development and prosperity for its people and the region. It will also have opportunities for the well-being of our country and region as an active member of the international community," Nader Nadery said on Twitter.
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— Nader Nadery (@N_Nadery) September 11, 2020
Following the Afghan government’s continuous efforts to hold direct talks with the Taliban, the Negotiating Team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan left Kabul today for Doha, the capital of Qatar. pic.twitter.com/wtZs0LxkUg
The peace talks between the Afghanistan government and the Taliban were delayed over the issue concerning the release of jailed fighters of the Islamist group, that had ruled the country before the United States' invasion in 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The United States and the Taliban in a historic meet this February had signed a peace agreement to end the 19-year-long war in the Islamic Republic.
16:01 IST, September 12th 2020