Afghan Leaders Discuss Proposed Draft for Peace

Afghan leaders on Sunday held a meeting under the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation to discuss in detail the US-proposed draft for Afghanistan’s peace and the upcoming international conferences on the reconciliation process.

The leaders agreed that the Afghan republic should thoroughly review the proposed draft for peace and then share it with the United States.

The guiding principles for Afghanistan’s future, the structure of a transitional government, and a political roadmap for a lasting ceasefire are the three significant elements of the draft.

The draft states that when the term of a proposed transitional government ends, the future leader of Afghanistan will be elected through a popular vote.

The reconciliation council official said the current opportunity for peace should not be wasted and there is a possibility that some amendments will be proposed by the council members.

“It was agreed that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the High Council for National Reconciliation are supporting the expedition of the peace process and will share the Republic’s view with the United States after precise study of the US draft,” a spokesman for the council, Mujib Rahman Rahimi, said.

Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said in a tweet that the draft they received “a few days ago” is “still under consideration.”

“We will clarify our position after a review,” he said.

“I believe that it is the best draft and it favors Afghans and it will see the end of the conflict in the country,” said Gul Rahman Qazi, head of Afghanistan’s peace and salvation council.

Some politicians, meanwhile, criticized the draft.

“We should propose an Afghan-made draft and this Afghan draft will be much more acceptable to the people than a foreign draft,” Mohammad Ismail Khan, former cabinet minister and former mujahideen leader said at a gathering in Herat on Sunday, referring to the US draft proposal.

As all are looking forward to the Turkey summit expected to take place next month, the peace negotiators of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, said their meetings with the Taliban are ongoing.

“The attitude in favor of negotiations is much better than in the past,” a republic negotiator Ghulam Farooq Majroh said. “We will continue our efforts to get a good result.”

Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani met with US Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, in Kabul on Saturday and discussed the security situation, the Afghan peace process and the US’s support to ANDSF, the Presidential Palace said.

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar spoke with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and welcomed Turkey’s hosting of the next round of Afghan peace talks, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement on Sunday.

Atmar praised Turkey’s readiness to hold the next round of Afghan peace talks and said “it is expected to be a step forward in securing a ceasefire and reaching a political solution in accordance with the will of the Afghan people,” the statement said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday said the UN-led meeting on Afghan peace “is planned to be held in Istanbul in April.”

“We were one of the few countries invited to this signing ceremony, and we are one of the most important actors in Afghanistan,” the Turkish minister said as quoted in a report by Anadolu Agency.