UN shares peace roadmap with Taliban, government: Sources

in South East Asia / by / on April 11, 2021 at 4:38 pm /

Sources in the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) confirmed to ArianaNews on Wednesday that the United Nations’ (UN) envoy in Kabul sent a letter to the Taliban and government outlining a suggested peace roadmap.

According to the sources the letter highlighted the following issues:

1- Ceasefire
2- Participatory and transitional government
3- Holding of elections
4- Preserving gains made over the past two decades
5- Preserving women’s rights
6- Preserving minority rights
7- Preserving freedom of speech

The government and Taliban have not confirmed the letter officially, but the UN envoy, Deborah Lyons, had meetings with the Taliban and government negotiators in Doha last week and recently met with some politicians in Kabul.

Lialoma Ahmadi, an HCNR adviser, said the UN envoy had shared the UN’s stance with Afghan sides.

“They emphasized [the need for] preserving the gains, announcing a ceasefire, and urged both sides to show willingness for negotiations,” said Ahmadi.

Afghan politicians, meanwhile, said that US and UN plans will be discussed at the upcoming Istanbul Summit in Turkey.

“The summit is very important for the future of Afghanistan. All sides should go to the summit with one plan, otherwise the plan of foreigners will be implemented,” said Qazi Muhammad Amin Waqad, a politician.

On the other hand, a 15-member committee from the HCNR discussed combining the plans they have received but, despite it having been their fourth meeting, they were not able to agree on one trajectory.

The HCNR’s committee is reviewing the various proposals put forward by the US and internal stakeholders in order to settle on one clear cut plan to present at the Turkey conference.

“Discussions were going very well, but several issues remain,” said Faridoon Khwazoon, a spokesman for the HCNR.

Sources stated 11 issues have been proposed and so far the committee has agreed on eight.

But sources claim the issue of establishing an interim government is a sticking point.

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