Foreigners have no say in peace process; govt

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AT-KABUL: The government says that foreigners are not authorized to make decision over the peace program in Afghanistan, a statement in reaction to a US official’s remark over talks between Taliban representatives and US officials.

President Ashraf Ghani’s Spokesman, Shah Hossein Mortazavi, said Sunday that the US and other foreign states could provide facilities for the peace process, but only the government of Afghanistan has authority to run talks with the opposition groups.

Ryan Crocker, a former US ambassador to Kabul had earlier said that direct talks between the US and Taliban in the absence of the Kabul administration’s representative would harm Afghan government’s legitimacy.

In an interview with the NPR, Crocker said that Taliban representatives were talking to the US officials over the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Afghanistan, adding that who should take over the government when there was no representative from Afghan government?

“The government of Afghanistan is the main side of every talks, it manages peace process. No foreign country is allowed to representative Afghanistan and hold talks,” said Mortazavi.

Taliban would be winners of the peace talks, according to Crocker, who emphasized that talks would be the only solution.

American diplomats held talks with Taliban delegation in Qatar, the two sides confirmed the negotiation.

Meanwhile, Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban leader believes that the insurgents would not hold talks to the Kabul government before reaching an agreement with Washington over the withdrawal of foreign troops.

“Taliban say that war in Afghanistan began by the US and it should end it. Just if the Taliban reach an agreement with the US over the withdrawal of foreign forces, then talks would be held easily with the Kabul government,” said Agha.