KABUL (SW): Following reports about the Taliban’s outreach to the U.S. for peace talks, analysts believe a peaceful resolution of the conflict is in the country’s interest.
In conversation with the Salam Watandar, analysts were of the opinion that the conflict, which has claimed so many lives and resources should better be resolved with peaceful means. They however, were divided over whether the Taliban should talk to the Afghan government or directly with the U.S.
Nazar Mohammad Mutmain, an analyst on political affairs, said that there are two major reasons why the Taliban might prefer talking directly to the U.S. He noted that the rebels are aware that in many aspects, the Kabul government lacks the authority, and secondly it was the Americans who toppled their regime in Afghanistan. “The Taliban are anxious about the authority of the Afghan government for major decisions that is why they would like to have the Americans, who have the authority in their opinion, to be part of the negotiation process”, he said.
Mutmain is of the opinion that peace talks including the U.S. is in the interest of Afghanistan. He however, feared that the since Russia and Iran have publically acknowledged ties with the Taliban in Afghanistan, the U.S. needs to devise its strategy accordingly otherwise r Moscow and Tehran would intensify their meddling in Afghanistan.
Muhibullah Sharif, another expert on security affairs, feared that the Taliban are repeating the same mistake committed by the Mujahedeen when they preferred to talk with the then Soviet leadership in Moscow instead of talking to the then Kabul government, which resulted in the civil war among factions of the Mujahedeen. Sharif underlined that the legitimacy of the Kabul government should not be undermined.
ENDS
