Afghanistan boycotts Moscow peace meet
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August 24, 2018
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The government has announced it will not send representatives to Russia to join a conference planned to be held in early September with the aim of seeking ways for peace in the war-hit country.
Foreign ministry spokesman has told the media that Kabul would not attend the conference because the management and leadership of “every such meetings” should be by the government of Afghanistan.
Representatives from 12 countries have been invited to attend the conference, according to reports that say Taliban had been also invited.
The foreign ministry spokesman has also said that no other country was able to go ahead the peace process of Afghanistan unless the government of Afghanistan holds leadership and management.
The government has rejected the invitation to attend the Moscow conference because the US government had earlier said it would not attend, according to some reports.
The Russian Federation is undoubtedly a powerful state in the region and influential in the Afghan political equations. It can play positive role in the peace process in Afghanistan and should be taken serious. The government has several times said that it welcomes any efforts by any country regarding the peace program, so now this is also an effort that can help the peace program like the other efforts made by some other states in the past such as Indonesia religious scholars’ meeting that was held by the initiative of a foreign country.
We have more foes than friends in the regional and international level, and this is the government’s job to maintain its friends and make more ones to overcome the problems made by the rivals. Russia is no more the then Soviet Union that occupied Afghanistan. It can be a good strategic friend in our neighborhood if we shake friendly hands.
If this is true that the government of Afghanistan refused to attend the Moscow following the US refusal, it will be a mistake. Afghanistan is an independent country with sovereignty, so its decisions should also be made independently, while we appreciate the US contribution in helping us in the reconstruction and democratic government establishment.
Taliban have recently had active diplomacy by sending representatives to some countries. The government should also take an active diplomatic measure to seek foreign countries’ help in bringing the militants to peace dialogues. If the government follows active diplomacy, it will no doubt see positive fruit.
Refusing to attend international sessions like the Moscow one, will lead us to nowhere, but a politically isolation.
Afghanistan Times
